Orient

Part of speech: verb

Pronunciation: /ˈɔː.ɹɪ.ənt/

Definitions

1. To align, position, or familiarize oneself or something in relation to surroundings or a particular direction
2. To familiarize oneself with a particular environment or direction while positioning or arranging objects in relation to those surroundings
3. To adjust or set the position of something relative to points of reference ; to make oneself or others acquainted with a new environment or situation

Etymology: The verb "orient" is a late arrival from a much older noun. Its root sense is literal: in Latin, "oriens" was the present participle of "orior," meaning "to rise," so the word described the rising sun and, by extension, the eastern sky where dawn appeared. Medieval English borrowed the noun "orient" from Anglo-Norman and Old French, where it meant the east and also the lands of Asia, which explains the later capitalised "Orient." The adjective came first in English, applied both to the east and to jewels from the East, valued for a lustrous shine. The verb grew from French. French speakers formed "orienter" from the noun "orient" plus the infinitive ending "-er," and it meant to set something toward the east or, more specifically, to set toward north. English took it up, and the sense of finding one's position relative to surroundings developed from that practice of turning a map or building to face a known direction.

Synonyms: align, position, situate

Antonyms: disorient, confuse, misplace