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Orientate Orient April Verb Or Ee Un Tayt Synonym Attracted Criticism

Orientate means to set or arrange something in a definite position, especially in relation to the compass points, or to acquaint someone with an environment. The term is a synonym for 'orient', and both are related to 'the East'. 'Orientate' is more recent and used more in British English.

Orientar significa colocar algo en una posición definida, especialmente en relación con los puntos cardinales, o familiarizarse con un entorno. El término es sinónimo de 'orient' y ambos están relacionados con 'the East'. 'Orientate' es más reciente y se usa más en inglés británico.

Word orientate
Date April 30, 2017
Type verb
Syllables OR-ee-un-tayt
Etymology Orientate is a synonym of orient, and it has attracted criticism as a consequence. Orient, which dates from the early 18th century, is in fact the older of the two verbs—orientate joined the language in the mid-19th century. Both can mean "to cause to face toward the east" and, not surprisingly, they are related to the noun Orient, meaning "the East." Both also have broader meanings that relate to setting or determining direction or position, either literally or figuratively. Some critics dislike orientate because it is one syllable longer than orient, but you can decide for yourself how important that consideration is to you. Personal choice is the primary deciding factor, although orientate tends to be used more often in British English than it is in American English.
Examples The program is designed to orientate new students to the college and community.

"… the conference's focus was orientated toward the production side of organic farming, which is most beneficial to individual farmers." — Nathan J. Tohtsoni, The Gallup (New Mexico) Independent, 28 Feb. 2017
Definition 1 : to set or arrange in a definite position especially in relation to the points of the compass
2 : to acquaint with the existing situation or environment
3 : to direct (as a book or film) toward the interests of a particular group

Tags: wordoftheday::verb

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