orthogonal
Mathematics.
Also orthographic. pertaining to or involving right angles or perpendiculars: an orthogonal projection.
(of a system of real functions) defined so that the integral of the product of any two different functions is zero.
(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.
(of two vectors) having an inner product equal to zero.
(of a linear transformation) defined so that the length of a vector under the transformation equals the length of the original vector.
(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.
Origin of orthogonal
1Other words from orthogonal
- or·thog·o·nal·i·ty [awr-thog-uh-nal-i-tee], /ɔrˌθɒg əˈnæl ɪ ti/, noun
- or·thog·o·nal·ly, adverb
Words Nearby orthogonal
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024
How to use orthogonal in a sentence
The very orthogonal city planning with specific orientation of the pyramids gives Teotihuacan a very characteristic architectural style, making it easy to identify any Teotihuacan influence abroad.
Lasers reveal construction inspired by ancient Mexican pyramids in Maya ruins | Meghie Rodrigues | October 22, 2021 | Science NewsThis use of orthogonal coding to separate and protect information in the brain has been seen before.
The Brain ‘Rotates’ Memories to Save Them From New Sensations | Jordana Cepelewicz | April 15, 2021 | Quanta MagazineThe memory representations were organized in what neuroscientists describe as an “orthogonal” dimension to the sensory representations, all within the same population of neurons.
The Brain ‘Rotates’ Memories to Save Them From New Sensations | Jordana Cepelewicz | April 15, 2021 | Quanta MagazineThe two orthogonal representations can then draw from overlapping neural activity without intruding on each other.
The Brain ‘Rotates’ Memories to Save Them From New Sensations | Jordana Cepelewicz | April 15, 2021 | Quanta MagazineActually, the issue of plural vs. singular is orthogonal to the dilemma she wants to pose.
Responding To Critics Of "On Questioning The Jewish State" | Joseph Levine | March 18, 2013 | THE DAILY BEAST
They also seem to be a bit orthogonal to the kinds of structures that medicinal chemists make.
Worried About Incurable Tuberculosis? Stand By for Incurable Everything. | Megan McArdle | March 12, 2013 | THE DAILY BEASTAnd that brings up another question about those bacterial targets, the ones that are so orthogonal to human cellular pathways.
Worried About Incurable Tuberculosis? Stand By for Incurable Everything. | Megan McArdle | March 12, 2013 | THE DAILY BEASTThe involutes are “orthogonal trajectories” of the tangents to the common evolute.
In the first place, each of these figures may be conceived as an orthogonal projection of a closed plane-faced polyhedron.
Velocities in linkages were determined by orthogonal components transferred from link to link.
Kinematics of Mechanisms from the Time of Watt | Eugene S. Ferguson
British Dictionary definitions for orthogonal
/ (ɔːˈθɒɡənəl) /
relating to, consisting of, or involving right angles; perpendicular
maths
(of a pair of vectors) having a defined scalar product equal to zero
(of a pair of functions) having a defined product equal to zero
Derived forms of orthogonal
- orthogonally, adverb
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
Scientific definitions for 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.
The American Heritage® Science Dictionary Copyright © 2011. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
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