1. to determine one’s position in relation to surroundings; to find one’s bearings
Usage: chiefly British; ‘orient’ is preferred in American English
2. to familiarize someone with a new situation or environment
Usage: chiefly British; ‘orient’ is preferred in American English
3. to align or position something in a particular direction
Usage: chiefly British; ‘orient’ is preferred in American English

Examples

• The hikers used a compass to orientate themselves in the forest.
• The new employee orientation helped orientate staff to company policies.
• She needed time to orientate herself to the unfamiliar city.
• The solar panels were orientated to face south for maximum efficiency.
• The map helped us orientate our position relative to the landmarks.
• The program is designed to orientate students to university life.