Orientation may refer to:

Positioning in physical space

Map orientation A map is a symbolic depiction of interrelationships, commonly spatial, between things within a space. A map may be annotated with text and graphics. Like any graphic, a map may be fixed to paper or other durable media, or may be displayed on ...

, the relationship between directions on a map and compass directions * Orientation (housing), the position of a building with respect to the sun, a concept in building design *

Orientation of churches The orientation of a building refers to the direction in which it is constructed and laid out, taking account of its planned purpose and ease of use for its occupants, its relation to the path of the sun and other aspects of its environment. In c ...

, the architectural feature of facing ("orienting"), churches towards the east (Latin: oriens) * Coin orientation, a description of the orientation of opposite faces of a coin with respect to one another * Page orientation, the way in which a rectangular page is oriented for normal viewing * In

Animal navigation Animal navigation is the ability of many animals to find their way accurately without maps or instruments. Birds such as the Arctic tern, insects such as the Monarch (butterfly), monarch butterfly and fish such as the salmon regularly Animal mi ...

, turning the body to a desired heading, e.g. in the correct direction of migration *

Orientation (sign language) Orientation may refer to: Positioning in physical space * Map orientation, the relationship between directions on a map and compass directions * Orientation (housing), the position of a building with respect to the sun, a concept in building desi ...

, the orientation of the hands when signing *

Terms of orientation Terms of orientation, terms of location, or spatial words are common linguistic descriptors used to indicate the spatial positioning of objects in three-dimensional space, including notions of ''top'', ''bottom'', ''front'', ''back'', ''left side'' ...

, language used to indicate the orientation of objects

Arts and media

* ''Orientation'' (EP), a 2001 album by Sonata Arctica * ''Orientation'' (film), a 1996 short film produced by the Church of Scientology * "Orientation" (''Lost''), a 2005 episode of American television series ''Lost'' * " Orientación", an episode of the American television series ''Prison Break'' * "Orientation" (''Heroes''), a 2009 episode of American television series ''Heroes'' * Orientation (''Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.''), an episode of the American television series ''Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.''

Mathematics

Orientation (geometry) In geometry, the orientation, attitude, bearing, direction, or angular position of an object – such as a Line (geometry), line, plane (geometry), plane or rigid body – is part of the description of how it is placed in the Euclidean space, spa ...

, the direction in which a geometrical object is pointed *

Orientation (space) In mathematics, orientability is a property of some topological spaces such as real vector spaces, Euclidean spaces, Surface (topology), surfaces, and more generally manifolds that allows a consistent definition of "clockwise" and "anticlockw ...

, the choice, in a space, between "clockwise" and "counterclockwise" ** Orientation (vector space), the specific case of linear algebra **

Orientability In mathematics, orientability is a property of some topological spaces such as real vector spaces, Euclidean spaces, surfaces, and more generally manifolds that allows a consistent definition of "clockwise" and "anticlockwise". A space is o ...

, a property of a geometrical space which allows choosing an orientation, that is, distinguishing an object in the space from its mirror image *** Orientation character, a character of the fundamental group that "measures" the orientability of a manifold. ** Curve orientation, the choice of a direction for a point moving on a curve * Orientation (graph theory), an assignment of a direction (orientation) to each edge of an undirected graph

Other uses

Orientation (mental) Orientation is a function of the mind involving awareness of three dimensions: time, place and person A person (: people or persons, depending on context) is a being who has certain capacities or attributes such as reason, morality, conscio ...

, a function of the mind *

Romantic orientation Romantic orientation, also called affectional orientation, is the classification of the sex or gender which a person experiences romantic attraction towards or is likely to have a romantic relationship with. The term is used alongside the t ...

, the sex or gender with which a person is most likely to have a romantic relationship or fall in love *

Sexual orientation Sexual orientation is an enduring personal pattern of romantic attraction or sexual attraction (or a combination of these) to persons of the opposite sex or gender, the same sex or gender, or to both sexes or more than one gender. Patterns ar ...

, the direction of an individual's sexuality with respect to the sex of the persons the individual finds sexually attractive * Student orientation, the first week of a university year in several countries * Orientation, an informational speech for newcomers at university or facility.

Positioning in physical space

Arts and media

Mathematics

Other uses

See also