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• orthodox
  orthodox

  adjective

  of, relating to, or conforming to the approved form of any doctrine, philosophy, ideology, etc.
• Orthodox
  Orthodox

  adjective

  of or relating to the Orthodox Church of the East

orthodox

American  

[awr-thuh-doks] / ˈɔr θəˌdɒks /

adjective

1. of, relating to, or conforming to the approved form of any doctrine, philosophy, ideology, etc.

2. of, relating to, or conforming to beliefs, attitudes, or modes of conduct that are generally approved.

3. customary or conventional, as a means or method; established.

   Synonyms:

   fixed, routine, commonplace, traditional

4. sound or correct in opinion or doctrine, especially theological or religious doctrine.

5. conforming to the Christian faith as represented in the creeds of the early church.

6. Orthodox,

   1. of, relating to, or designating the Eastern Church, especially the Greek Orthodox Church.

   2. of, relating to, or characteristic of Orthodox Jews or Orthodox Judaism.

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Orthodox ¹ British  

/ ˈɔːθəˌdɒks /

adjective

1. of or relating to the Orthodox Church of the East

2. (sometimes not capital)

   1. of or relating to Orthodox Judaism

   2. (of an individual Jew) strict in the observance of Talmudic law and in personal devotions

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orthodox ² British  

/ ˈɔːθəˌdɒks /

adjective

1. conforming with established or accepted standards, as in religion, behaviour, or attitudes

2. conforming to the Christian faith as established by the early Church

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Other Word Forms

• antiorthodox
  adjective
• antiorthodoxly
  adverb
• hyperorthodox
  adjective
• nonorthodox
  adjective
• nonorthodoxly
  adverb
• orthodoxly
  adverb
• orthodoxness
  noun
• pro-orthodox
  adjective
• semiorthodox
  adjective
• semiorthodoxly
  adverb
• ultraorthodox
  adjective
• unorthodox
  adjective

Etymology

Origin of orthodox

First recorded in 1575–85; from Late Latin orthodoxus “right in religion,” from Late Greek orthódoxos, equivalent to ortho- ortho- + dóx(a) “belief, opinion” + -os adjective suffix

Explanation

Orthodox practices or beliefs are generally accepted as true or correct. If you are an orthodox vegetarian, you never, ever eat meat — not like those people who have fish once in a while. When capitalized, Orthodox is the name of the Eastern Church, originally distinguished by its doctrinal differences from the other divisions of the Christian Church. Orthodox is also the name of the branch of Judaism that strictly follows traditional beliefs and customs, derived from orthodox in the earlier meaning of "strictly observant."