Definition of "alignment" in English

noun

1. An arrangement of items in a line.

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

3. An alliance of factions.

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

   • the alignment problem
   • the alignment tax

5. (roleplaying games) One of a set number of moral positions or philosophies a character can take.

   • an alignment chart

6. (astronomy) The conjunction of two celestial objects.

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

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

9. ground plan of a canal or road