orthogonal
adjective
or·thog·o·nal
ȯr-ˈthä-gə-nᵊl 
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 intersection
orthogonal curves
2
: 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
a
of real-valued functions
: having the integral of the product of each pair of functions over a specific interval equal to zero
b
of vectors
: having the scalar product 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 matrix
3
of a linear transformation
: having a matrix (see matrix sense 5a) that is orthogonal : preserving length and distance
4
: composed of mutually orthogonal elements
an orthogonal basis of a vector space
5
: statistically independent
mental ability may be classified into several orthogonal … factors—
O. D. Duncan
O. D. Duncan6
: orthographic sense 1
orthogonal projection
Examples of orthogonal in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
At least 7 precious and base metal rich quartz-sulphide veins were identified with orientations orthogonal to the Baker A- and B-Veins, suggesting the mineralization may be related, but not directly to the historical Baker Mine.
—Miami Herald, 2 Apr. 2024
That limits the system’s ability to generate images in 3D, which is necessary in advanced diagnostics, such as determining bladder volume or looking at simultaneous orthogonal views of the heart.
—IEEE Spectrum, 17 Mar. 2024
The two figures—the uneasily Americanized Jew and the fervently ideological Zionist—glance off each other, bound in orthogonal directions.
—Gideon Lewis-Kraus, The New Yorker, 15 Feb. 2024
The scientists then tweaked the mutation rate of the orthogonal DNA-replicating enzyme, eventually enhancing it 1,000-fold.
—Diana Gitig, Ars Technica, 5 Feb. 2024
See all Example Sentences for orthogonal 
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.
Miami Herald, 2 Apr. 2024
That limits the system’s ability to generate images in 3D, which is necessary in advanced diagnostics, such as determining bladder volume or looking at simultaneous orthogonal views of the heart.
—IEEE Spectrum, 17 Mar. 2024
The two figures—the uneasily Americanized Jew and the fervently ideological Zionist—glance off each other, bound in orthogonal directions.
—Gideon Lewis-Kraus, The New Yorker, 15 Feb. 2024
The scientists then tweaked the mutation rate of the orthogonal DNA-replicating enzyme, eventually enhancing it 1,000-fold.
—Diana Gitig, Ars Technica, 5 Feb. 2024
See all Example Sentences for orthogonal
Dictionary Entries Near orthogonal
Cite this Entry
“Orthogonal.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/orthogonal. Accessed 26 Nov. 2024.
Copy CitationMedical Definition
orthogonal
adjective
or·thog·o·nal
ȯr-ˈthäg-ən-ᵊl
1
a
: lying or intersecting at right angles
b
: being, using, or made with three ECG leads whose axes are perpendicular to each other and to the frontal, horizontal, and sagittal axes of the body
the three orthogonal leads were recorded simultaneously on magnetic tape—Massoud Nemati et al.
Massoud Nemati et al.2
: statistically independent
mental ability may be classified into several orthogonal … factors—O. D. Duncan
O. D. DuncanLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share