View synonyms for orthogonal

orthogonal

[ awr-thog-uh-nl ]

Phonetic (Standard)IPA

adjective

Mathematics.
1. Also pertaining to or involving right angles or perpendiculars:
  an orthogonal projection.
2. (of a system of real functions) defined so that the integral of the product of any two different functions is zero.
3. (of a system of complex functions) defined so that the integral of the product of a function times the complex conjugate of any other function equals zero.
4. (of two vectors) having an inner product equal to zero.
5. (of a linear transformation) defined so that the length of a vector under the transformation equals the length of the original vector.
6. (of a square matrix) defined so that its product with its transpose results in the identity matrix.
Crystallography. referable to a rectangular set of axes.
having no bearing on the matter at hand; independent of or irrelevant to another thing or each other:
It’s an interesting question, but orthogonal to our exploration of the right to privacy.

orthogonal

/ ɔːˈθɒɡənəl /

adjective

relating to, consisting of, or involving right angles; perpendicular
maths
1. (of a pair of vectors) having a defined scalar product equal to zero
2. (of a pair of functions) having a defined product equal to zero

orthogonal

/ ôr-thŏg′ə-nəl /

Relating to or composed of right angles.
Relating to a matrix whose transpose equals its inverse.
Relating to a linear transformation that preserves the length of vectors.

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Derived Forms

orˈthogonally, adverb

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Other Words From

or·thog·o·nal·i·ty [awr-thog-, uh, -, nal, -i-tee], noun
or·thog·o·nal·ly adverb

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Word History and Origins

Origin of orthogonal¹

First recorded in 1565–75; obsolete orthogon(ium) “right triangle,” from Late Latin orthogōnium or directly from Greek orthogṓnion (neuter) “right-angled,” equivalent to ortho- ortho- + -gōnion -gon ) + -al ¹

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Example Sentences

Actually, the issue of plural vs. singular is orthogonal to the dilemma she wants to pose.

From The Daily Beast

They also seem to be a bit orthogonal to the kinds of structures that medicinal chemists make.

From The Daily Beast

And that brings up another question about those bacterial targets, the ones that are so orthogonal to human cellular pathways.

From The Daily Beast

The involutes are “orthogonal trajectories” of the tangents to the common evolute.

From Project Gutenberg

In the first place, each of these figures may be conceived as an orthogonal projection of a closed plane-faced polyhedron.

From Project Gutenberg

Velocities in linkages were determined by orthogonal components transferred from link to link.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

rectangular

orthognathous orthogonalize

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