orient

[ noun, adjective awr-ee-uhnt, ‐ee-ent, ohr-; verb awr-ee-ent, ohr‐ ]

/ noun, adjective ˈɔr i ənt, ‐iˌɛnt, ˈoʊr-; verb ˈɔr iˌɛnt, ˈoʊr‐ /

See synonyms for: orient / oriented on Thesaurus.com

noun

the Orient,

the countries of Asia, especially East Asia.
(formerly) the countries to the E of the Mediterranean.

Jewelry.

an orient pearl.
the iridescence of a pearl.

the east; the eastern region of the heavens or the world.

verb (used with object) Also especially British, orientate .

to adjust with relation to, or bring into due relation to surroundings, circumstances, facts, etc.

to familiarize (a person) with new surroundings or circumstances, or the like: lectures designed to orient the new students.

to place in any definite position with reference to the points of the compass or other locations: to orient a building north and south.

to direct or position toward a particular object: Orient it toward that house.

to determine the position of in relation to the points of the compass; get the bearings of.

to place so as to face the east, especially to build (a church) with the chief altar to the east and the chief entrance to the west.

Surveying. to set (the horizontal circle of a surveying instrument) so that readings give correct azimuths.

Mathematics. to assign to (a surface) a constant, outward direction at each point.

verb (used without object) Also especially British, orientate .

to turn toward the east or in any specified direction.

adjective

(of a gem or pearl) exceptionally fine and lustrous; oriental.

Archaic. rising or appearing, especially as from below the horizon: the orient sun.

SYNONYMS FOR orient

5 accustom, relate.

See synonyms for orient on Thesaurus.com

QUIZZES

THIS PSAT VOCABULARY QUIZ IS PERFECT PRACTICE FOR THE REAL TEST

In our third teacher-created PSAT practice test there are new and unique vocabulary terms you may have never heard of! Can you guess what they mean?

Question 1 of 10

seclusion

a false belief or opinion.

the matter that settles to the bottom of a liquid.

the state of being isolated, kept apart, or withdrawn into solitude.

TAKE THE QUIZ TO FIND OUT

Origin of orient

1350–1400; Middle English, from Middle French, from Latin orient- (stem of oriēns ) “the east, sunrise,” noun use of present participle of orīrī “to rise”; see -ent

OTHER WORDS FROM orient

o·ri·ent·er, nounself-o·ri·ent·ed, adjectivewell-o·ri·ent·ed, adjective

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2021

Example sentences from the Web for orient

According to former Robinhood executives, Tenev is the more visionary and strategy-oriented of the two founders, while Bhatt is regarded as more jocular and focused on product development.
Robinhood co-founder steps down as co-CEO, leaving Vlad Tenev as sole chief ahead of a rumored IPO|Jeff|November 20, 2020|Fortune
Your phone records how long you spend around the other device and guesses how far away you are, based on a mixture of factors such as how the phone is oriented and how strong the signal from the other handset is.
Do digital contact tracing apps work? Here’s what you need to know.|Cat Ferguson|November 20, 2020|MIT Technology Review
“It’s encouraging that we’re seeing a rotation from growth and momentum-oriented stocks to value and cyclical names,” he detailed yesterday as the markets were booming.
Vaccine breakthroughs are unleashing a ‘value rally.’ Here’s what investors should know|Bernhard Warner|November 17, 2020|Fortune
Using this approach, David Hubel and Torsten Wiesel discovered in the late 1950s that neurons in the visual cortex are highly sensitive to oriented bars, with each cell responding best to a particular angle.
Are We Wired to Be Outside? - Issue 92: Frontiers|Grigori Guitchounts|November 11, 2020|Nautilus

A phone’s size typically doesn’t play too much into a camera-oriented review, but the 12 Pro Max really is massive.
The iPhone 12 Pro Max might be worth it—for the camera alone|Stan Horaczek|November 10, 2020|Popular Science
I spent hours shaking hands, completing paperwork, situating equipment, and orienting myself.
How I’ll End the War: My First Week Back in Afghanistan|Nick Willard|May 1, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Orienting himself he found he was gripping a brace of the open-mounted motor on one of the Waste Disposal Cylinders.
Far from Home|J.A. Taylor
There was no standardized method of orienting oneself in a city.
Anything You Can Do ...|Gordon Randall Garrett
He stood for a moment, orienting himself with the tower the center of his calculations.
Quest of the Golden Ape|Ivar Jorgensen
This leads to neutralisation, the organ placing itself at right angles to the orienting stimulus.
Life Movements in Plants, Volume II, 1919|Sir Jagadis Chunder Bose
More trivial systems, like those used in orienting troops in the desert, are a matter of routine.
The Civilization of Illiteracy|Mihai Nadin

British Dictionary definitions for orient (1 of 2)

orient

noun (ˈɔːrɪənt)

poetic another word for east Compare occident

archaic the eastern sky or the dawn

the iridescent lustre of a pearl
(as modifier)orient pearls

a pearl of high quality

adjective (ˈɔːrɪənt)

mainly poetic eastern

archaic (of the sun, stars, etc) rising

verb (ˈɔːrɪˌɛnt)

to adjust or align (oneself or something else) according to surroundings or circumstances

(tr) to position, align, or set (a map, surveying instrument, etc) with reference to the points of the compass or other specific directions

(tr) to set or build (a church) in an easterly direction

Word Origin for orient

C18: via French from Latin oriēns rising (sun), from orīrī to rise

British Dictionary definitions for orient (2 of 2)

Orient

/ (ˈɔːrɪənt) /

noun the Orient

the countries east of the Mediterranean

the eastern hemisphere

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Medical definitions for orient

orient

[ ôr′ē-ənt, -ĕnt′ ]

v.

To locate or place in a particular relation to the points of the compass.

To align or position with respect to a point or system of reference.

To make familiar with or adjusted to facts, principles, or a situation.

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orient

noun

verb (used with object) Also especially British, orientate .