Standard Lemma guide

orientate

verb · 6 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.

  • UK: /ˈɒɹi.ənteɪt/
  • Southern-England: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.

1

verb

Meaning 1

To face a given direction.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: Commonwealth, Ireland, UK, intransitive

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

verb

Meaning 2

To determine one's position relative to the surroundings; to orient (oneself).

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: Commonwealth, Ireland, UK, reflexive

Examples

  • He came out of the station and took some time to orientate himself.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

3

verb

Meaning 3

To arrange in order; to dispose or place (a body) so as to show its relation to other bodies, or the relation of its parts among themselves.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

4

verb

Meaning 4

To position (something), to align relative to a given position.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: Commonwealth, Ireland, UK, transitive

Examples

  • Try to orientate your students towards the science subjects.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

5

verb

Meaning 5

To move or turn toward the east; to veer from the north or south toward the east.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: archaic

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

6

verb

Meaning 6

determine one's position with reference to another point

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • We had to orient ourselves in the forest

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: orient

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: decide, make up one's mind, determine

Narrower terms: guide, guide on, reorientate, reorient

History

Etymology

From orient + -ate or a back-formation from orientation. Compare French orienter and Italian orientare.

Across languages

Translations

2 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Greek: προσανατολίζω (prosanatolízo) — to face a given direction
  • Polish: skierować się — to face a given direction