orthography

[ awr-thog-ruh-fee ]

noun

, plural or·thog·ra·phies

1. the art of writing words with the proper letters, according to accepted usage; correct spelling.
2. the part of language study concerned with letters and spelling.
3. a method of spelling, as by the use of an alphabet or other system of symbols; spelling.
4. a system of such symbols:

   Missionaries provided the first orthography for the language.

5. an orthographic projection, or an elevation drawn by means of it.

orthography

/ ɔːˈθɒɡrəfɪ /

noun

1. a writing system
2. 1. spelling considered to be correct
   2. the principles underlying spelling
3. the study of spelling
4. orthographic projection

Derived Forms

• orˈthographer, noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of orthography¹

1425–75; late Middle English ortografye < Latin orthographia correct writing, orthogonal projection < Greek orthographía. See ortho-, -graphy

Example Sentences

The orthography of the printed original of the Relation Dernire is an interesting mixture of old and new styles.

From Project Gutenberg

A certain gentleman, not well skilled in orthography, requested his friend to send him too monkeys.

From Project Gutenberg

The language of the Félibres had now a fixed orthography and definite grammatical form.

From Project Gutenberg

In the orthography of the Félibres the diagraph ue is used as we find it in Old French to represent this vowel.

From Project Gutenberg

He is said to have published also two books, one on Polish orthography in 1866 and one on popular astronomy in 1869.

From Project Gutenberg