Word
orthogonal
Phoneticsor·thog·o·nal, stress on the second syllable
/ɔɹˈθɔɡənəɫ/
Definitions
01at right angles
C1 · Advanced Mathematics Technical
adj. meeting or crossing at a 90-degree angle.
adj. relating to or composed of right angles; perpendicular. Non-gradable in its geometric sense.
“The two walls are orthogonal to each other, forming a perfect corner.”
“The architect designed the floor plan using an orthogonal grid to ensure all structural supports met at precise right angles.”
Usage
Usually followed by the preposition 'to'.
Synonyms
Antonyms
02independent or unrelated
C1 · Advanced Academic · Formal
adj. describing two things that are separate and do not affect each other.
adj. statistically independent or conceptually irrelevant to one another; able to be treated separately without interference.
“The cost of the project is orthogonal to the quality of the final product.”
“In software design, the user interface should be orthogonal to the underlying data logic so that changes in one do not break the other.”
Teaching tip
This sense is common in computer science and high-level business strategy to describe 'uncoupled' ideas.
Synonyms
Antonyms
03linear algebra
C2 · Proficiency Mathematics Technical
adj. describing vectors that have a zero result when multiplied in a specific way.
adj. of a pair of vectors: having an inner product of zero. Also applied to square matrices where the transpose equals the inverse.
“The professor proved that the two vectors were orthogonal.”
“The transformation is represented by an orthogonal matrix, which ensures that the lengths of the vectors and the angles between them are preserved.”
04a perpendicular line
C2 · Proficiency Countable noun Mathematics Technical
n. a line that is at a right angle to another line.
n. a line or vector that is perpendicular to another given line or plane.
“Draw an orthogonal from the center point to the edge of the circle.”
“The calculation requires you to determine the length of the orthogonal dropped from the vertex to the opposite side of the triangle.”
Synonyms
Real-World Examples
“But previous grids had been tightly bounded—patches of orthogonal civilization within an arcing and twisting terrain.” “A further condition they set was that the two Latin squares should be orthogonal, meaning that superimposing them would produce every possible ordered pair of symbols exactly once.” Etymology
From Middle French orthogonal, in turn from Medieval Latin orthogōnālis and Latin orthogōnius (“right-angled”), ultimately from Ancient Greek ὀρθογώνιος (orthogṓnios, “rectangular”). By surface analysis, ortho- + -gon + -al.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Word family
NOUN
ADJECTIVE
Domains
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.C1 AdvancedIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.7.0–8.0TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 5.0–5.595–113TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.945–990
- Frequency
- Occasional
- Level
- C1 · Advanced
- Updated
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QR code
englishreference.com/q/orthogonal