orientate
orientate Lexical Profile
orientate Game Scores & Validity
• verb
British To determine one's position relative to the surroundings, or to familiarize oneself or someone else with a new situation or environment.
"It took the hikers a few minutes to orientate themselves using the map and compass."
British To align or position something relative to the points of a compass or other specified directions.
"The architects decided to orientate the solar panels toward the south to maximize energy absorption."
British To tailor, direct, or adapt something toward the interests or needs of a particular group.
"The university plans to orientate its new curriculum toward practical research and industry collaboration."
Word Nuance & Usage
While 'orientate' and 'orient' have identical meanings, 'orientate' is standard and widely preferred in British and Commonwealth English, whereas American English strongly favors the shorter 'orient' and sometimes regards 'orientate' as an unnecessary back-formation.
• Rhymes for orientate
• Nearby Words
Word Origin & Etymology
Coined in the mid-19th century either from French 'orienter' or as a back-formation from the English noun 'orientation', ultimately tracing back to Latin 'oriens' (meaning 'the rising sun' or 'the east', from 'oriri', 'to rise').