1
a : intersecting or lying at right angles In orthogonal cutting, the cutting edge is perpendicular to the direction of tool travel. b : having perpendicular slopes or tangents at the point of intersection2
: having a sum of products or an integral (see integral entry 1 sense 1b) that is zero or sometimes one under specified conditions: such as aof real-valued functions : having the integral of the product of each pair of functions over a specific interval equal to zero
c of a square matrix : having the sum of products of corresponding elements in any two rows or any two columns equal to one if the rows or columns are the same and equal to zero otherwise : having a transpose with which the product equals the identity matrix3
of a linear transformation : having a matrix (see matrix sense 5a) that is orthogonal : preserving length and distance4
: composed of mutually orthogonal elements an orthogonal basis of a vector space5
: statistically independent mental ability may be classified into several orthogonal … factors—O. D. Duncan Examples of orthogonal in a Sentence Recent Examples on the Web Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback. As if that emerging standards landscape weren’t complicated enough, Sony championed yet another technology based on orthogonal frequency division multiple access (OFDMA). —Julianne Pepitone, IEEE Spectrum, 25 July 2025 Raising a child with disabilities can feel like wandering through an orthogonal arrangement of hallways, banging on walls to check for any hidden passageways to a more inclusive realm. —Julie Kim, The Atlantic, 9 July 2025 Captaining Kevin Schade during a rare double-digit performance week, while most managers defaulted to Salah, provided precisely this kind of FPL alpha – truly orthogonal returns that can propel you up the league. —Steven Desmyter, Forbes.com, 20 May 2025 More orthogonal in spirit, the sister’s side features a central staircase and internal windows so that the primary suite overlooks the kitchen and dining area, borrowing light from the rear façade. —Sam Cochran, Architectural Digest, 18 Mar. 2025 See All Example Sentences for orthogonal Word HistoryEtymology
Middle French, from Latin orthogonius, from Greek orthogōnios, from orth- + gōnia angle — more at -gon
First Known Use
circa 1560, in the meaning defined at sense 1a
Time Traveler
The first known use of orthogonal was circa 1560 Cite this Entry“Orthogonal.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/orthogonal. Accessed 14 Sep. 2025.
Last Updated: 20 Aug 2025 - Updated example sentencesLove words? Need even more definitions?
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