Definition
The quality or property of having a specific direction or orientation; the tendency to move, develop, or function in a particular direction.
Etymology
From 'direction' (Latin directio) + '-ality' (suffix forming abstract nouns denoting states or qualities). The term emerged in 20th-century physics and biology to describe properties like asymmetry and purposeful orientation in systems.
Kelly Says
Directionality explains why light bends differently through a crystal depending on the direction you shine it, why your hair grows downward instead of sideways, and why time feels like it only moves forward—it's everywhere in nature, revealing that many systems aren't neutral but biased by their structure.
Translations
ARالعربية
اتجاه
i-tah-jah
CACatalà
direcció
dee-rek-thee-oh
DEDeutsch
Orientierung
o-ree-en-t-er-ung
ELΕλληνικά
κατεύθυνση
ka-ee-th-oon-see
ESEspañol
direccionalidad
dee-reh-k-shio-nal-i-dad
FISuomi
suuntaus
swoon-taus
FRFrançais
directionnalité
dee-rek-shio-nal-i-te
HAHA
direksiyon
dee-ree-k-syon
IDBahasa Indonesia
arah
a-rah
ITItaliano
direzionalità
dee-reh-zee-o-nal-i-te
KO한국어
방향성
bang-hyang-seong
MSBahasa Melayu
arah
a-rah
NLNederlands
richtingsgevend
richt-ings-geh-vend
PAPA
ਗੁidence
goo-i-dance
PLPolski
kierunkowość
kier-un-koo-vosch
PTPortuguês
direccionalidade
dee-reh-shio-nal-i-dade
RORomână
direcționalitate
dee-rek-shio-nal-i-tate
RUРусский
направленность
na-pra-vlen-no-st
SVSvenska
riktning
reek-ting
SWKiswahili
mwelekeo
mwe-le-keo
TLTL
direksyon
dee-rek-syon
TRTürkçe
yönlendirme
yoon-led-er-meh
UKУкраїнська
напрям
na-pram