ˌɔɹiɛnˈteɪʃən ˌpɹiː.dəˈlɛk.ʃn̩ ˌpɹɛ.dəˈlɛk.ʃn̩ ˈpɹɛf(ə)ɹ(ə)ns a course introducing a new situation or environment the act of orienting a person's awareness of self with regard to position and time and place and personal relationships a predisposition in favor of something a predilection for expensive cars his sexual preferences showed a Marxist orientation an integrated set of attitudes and beliefs position or alignment relative to points of the compass or other specific directions