Standard Lemma guide

alignment

noun · 13 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • Canada, General-American, Received-Pronunciation: /əˈlaɪn.mənt/
  • California: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • Australian: /əˈlɑen.mənt/
  • New-Zealand: /əˈlaɪn.mənt/
  • New-Zealand: [əˈlɑe̯n.mənt]
  • CMU ARPABET: AH0 L AY1 N M AH0 N T Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.

1

noun

Meaning 1

An arrangement of items in a line.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: countable, uncountable

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

noun

Meaning 2

The process of adjusting a mechanism such that its parts are aligned; the condition of having its parts so adjusted.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: countable, uncountable

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

3

noun

Meaning 3

An alliance of factions.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: countable, uncountable

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

4

noun

Meaning 4

The goals and values of an artificial intelligence, considered relative to human ethical standards.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: countable, uncountable

Qualifier: artificial intelligence

Examples

  • the alignment problem
  • the alignment tax

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

5

noun

Meaning 5

One of a set number of moral positions or philosophies a character can take.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: countable, uncountable

Qualifier: roleplaying games

Examples

  • an alignment chart

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

6

noun

Meaning 6

The conjunction of two celestial objects.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: countable, uncountable

Topics: astronomy, natural-sciences

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

7

noun

Meaning 7

The precise route or course taken by a linear way (road, railway, footpath, etc.) between two points.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: countable, uncountable

Topics: transport

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

8

noun

Meaning 8

A way of arranging DNA, RNA or protein sequences in order to identify regions of similarity.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: countable, uncountable

Topics: bioinformatics, biology, computing, engineering, mathematics, natural-sciences, physical-sciences, sciences

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

9

noun

Meaning 9

A ground plan of a canal or road.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: countable, uncountable

Qualifier: urban studies

Topics: road, transport

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

10

noun

Meaning 10

the act of adjusting or aligning the parts of a device in relation to each other

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: adjustment, registration, readjustment

Narrower terms: camber, toe-in

11

noun

Meaning 11

the spatial property possessed by an arrangement or position of things in a straight line or in parallel lines

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: placement, arrangement

Narrower terms: true

12

noun

Meaning 12

(astronomy) apparent meeting or passing of two or more celestial bodies in the same degree of the zodiac

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: conjunction

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: meeting, encounter

Narrower terms: inferior conjunction, superior conjunction

13

noun

Meaning 13

an organization of people (or countries) involved in a pact or treaty

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: alliance, coalition, alinement

Antonyms: nonalignment

Broader terms: organization, organisation

Narrower terms: combination, allies, bloc, axis, Central Powers, entente, entente cordiale, popular front, world organization, world organisation, international organization, international organisation, global organization, Northern Alliance, United Front

History

Etymology

From French alignement, by surface analysis, align + -ment.

Across languages

Translations

101 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Bulgarian: подравняване (podravnjavane) — arrangement of items in a line
  • Catalan: alineació — arrangement of items in a line
  • Catalan: alineament — arrangement of items in a line
  • Czech: zákryt — arrangement of items in a line
  • Czech: zarovnání — arrangement of items in a line
  • Czech: seřazení — arrangement of items in a line
  • Czech: uspořádání — arrangement of items in a line
  • Esperanto: aranĝo — arrangement of items in a line
  • Finnish: ojennus — arrangement of items in a line
  • French: alignement — arrangement of items in a line
  • Galician: aliñamento — arrangement of items in a line
  • Galician: aliñación — arrangement of items in a line
  • German: Ausrichtung — arrangement of items in a line
  • German: Aufreihung — arrangement of items in a line
  • German: Aneinanderreihung — arrangement of items in a line
  • Indonesian: kesegarisan — arrangement of items in a line
  • Irish: ailíniú — arrangement of items in a line
  • Italian: allineamento — arrangement of items in a line
  • Lithuanian: lygiavimas — arrangement of items in a line
  • Portuguese: alinhamento — arrangement of items in a line
  • Romanian: aliniere — arrangement of items in a line
  • Romanian: aliniament — arrangement of items in a line
  • Russian: выра́внивание (vyrávnivanije) — arrangement of items in a line
  • Spanish: alineación — arrangement of items in a line
  • Swedish: inpassning — arrangement of items in a line
  • Catalan: alineació — process of adjusting a mechanism such that its parts are aligned
  • Chinese Mandarin: 對齊 /对齐 (duìqí) — process of adjusting a mechanism such that its parts are aligned
  • Czech: uspořádání — process of adjusting a mechanism such that its parts are aligned
  • Czech: zarovnání — process of adjusting a mechanism such that its parts are aligned
  • Czech: seřazení — process of adjusting a mechanism such that its parts are aligned
  • Czech: adjustace — process of adjusting a mechanism such that its parts are aligned
  • Czech: justáž — process of adjusting a mechanism such that its parts are aligned
  • Czech: seřazení do řady — process of adjusting a mechanism such that its parts are aligned
  • Finnish: kohdistaminen — process of adjusting a mechanism such that its parts are aligned
  • Finnish: kohdistus — process of adjusting a mechanism such that its parts are aligned
  • French: ajustage — process of adjusting a mechanism such that its parts are aligned
  • Galician: aliñamento — process of adjusting a mechanism such that its parts are aligned
  • German: Ausrichtung — process of adjusting a mechanism such that its parts are aligned
  • German: Abgleich — process of adjusting a mechanism such that its parts are aligned
  • German: Justierung — process of adjusting a mechanism such that its parts are aligned
  • German: Einstellung — process of adjusting a mechanism such that its parts are aligned
  • Hungarian: igazítás — process of adjusting a mechanism such that its parts are aligned
  • Hungarian: összehangolás — process of adjusting a mechanism such that its parts are aligned
  • Hungarian: beállítás — process of adjusting a mechanism such that its parts are aligned
  • Irish: ailíniú — process of adjusting a mechanism such that its parts are aligned
  • Italian: allineamento — process of adjusting a mechanism such that its parts are aligned
  • Italian: orientamento — process of adjusting a mechanism such that its parts are aligned
  • Portuguese: alinhamento — process of adjusting a mechanism such that its parts are aligned
  • Romanian: aliniere — process of adjusting a mechanism such that its parts are aligned
  • Romanian: ajustare — process of adjusting a mechanism such that its parts are aligned
  • Russian: регулиро́вка (reguliróvka) — process of adjusting a mechanism such that its parts are aligned
  • Spanish: alineamiento — process of adjusting a mechanism such that its parts are aligned
  • Swedish: inpassning — process of adjusting a mechanism such that its parts are aligned
  • Thai: การปรับแนว — process of adjusting a mechanism such that its parts are aligned
  • Thai: การปรับตรง — process of adjusting a mechanism such that its parts are aligned
  • Czech: podpora — alliance of factions
  • Czech: příklon — alliance of factions
  • Finnish: ojennus — alliance of factions
  • French: alliance — alliance of factions
  • Galician: alianza — alliance of factions
  • German: Ausrichtung — alliance of factions
  • German: Gruppierung — alliance of factions
  • German: Allianz — alliance of factions
  • German: Zusammenschluss — alliance of factions
  • German: Fraktion — alliance of factions
  • German: Parteiengemeinschaft — alliance of factions
  • Hungarian: szövetség — alliance of factions
  • Hungarian: csoportosulás — alliance of factions
  • Hungarian: tömörülés — alliance of factions
  • Italian: schieramento — alliance of factions
  • Portuguese: aliança — alliance of factions
  • Russian: альянс (alʹjans) — alliance of factions
  • Chinese Mandarin: 連珠 /连珠 (liánzhū) — astronomy: conjunction of two celestial objects
  • Czech: konjunkce — astronomy: conjunction of two celestial objects
  • Finnish: konjunktio — astronomy: conjunction of two celestial objects
  • French: conjonction — astronomy: conjunction of two celestial objects
  • Galician: aliñamento — astronomy: conjunction of two celestial objects
  • Galician: aliñación — astronomy: conjunction of two celestial objects
  • German: Konstellation — astronomy: conjunction of two celestial objects
  • German: Konjunktion — astronomy: conjunction of two celestial objects
  • Hungarian: együttállás — astronomy: conjunction of two celestial objects
  • Indonesian: kesegarisan — astronomy: conjunction of two celestial objects
  • Italian: congiunzione — astronomy: conjunction of two celestial objects
  • Portuguese: alinhamento — astronomy: conjunction of two celestial objects
  • Finnish: linjaus — transport: precise route or course of a road etc.
  • French: itinéraire linéaire — transport: precise route or course of a road etc.
  • German: gerader Streckenverlauf — transport: precise route or course of a road etc.
  • Indonesian: alinyemen — transport: precise route or course of a road etc.
  • Indonesian: trase — transport: precise route or course of a road etc.
  • Norwegian Bokmål: trasé — transport: precise route or course of a road etc.
  • Norwegian Bokmål: trase — transport: precise route or course of a road etc.
  • Norwegian Nynorsk: trasé — transport: precise route or course of a road etc.
  • Norwegian Nynorsk: trase — transport: precise route or course of a road etc.
  • Romanian: aliniament — transport: precise route or course of a road etc.
  • Romanian: traseu — transport: precise route or course of a road etc.
  • Finnish: yhteensovittaminen — a way of arranging DNA, RNA or protein sequences
  • French: alignement — a way of arranging DNA, RNA or protein sequences
  • Galician: aliñamento — a way of arranging DNA, RNA or protein sequences
  • Italian: allineamento — a way of arranging DNA, RNA or protein sequences
  • Portuguese: alinhamento — a way of arranging DNA, RNA or protein sequences
  • Spanish: alineamiento — a way of arranging DNA, RNA or protein sequences
Real reading context

alignment in complete knowledge articles