orthography

American  

[awr-thog-ruh-fee] / ɔrˈθɒg rə fi /

noun

plural

orthographies

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.

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orthography British  

/ 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

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Other Word Forms

• orthographer noun

Etymology

Origin of orthography

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

Example Sentences

He asked for all the word’s information — its definition, part of speech, orthography, use in a sentence — but he didn’t need it, evidenced by a slight smile as he spoke.

From New York Times

The Post’s attention to orthography has reached a new low: two mistakes in two words.

From Washington Post

“Many of the writers didn’t know standard Yiddish orthography, so they just wrote the words the way they heard them,” she explained.

From The New Yorker

Marden had become interested in Asian orthography in 1984, when he visited an exhibition, “Masters of Japanese Calligraphy: 8th-19th Century,” at the Japan House and at the Asia Society, in New York.

From The New Yorker

Many languages die because, like Haida, they are passed from generation to generation orally and do not have an orthography to preserve them.

From BBC