Orthogonal - Meaning, Definition & English Examples
Orthogonal means at right angles or perpendicular, often used in geometry to describe lines or planes that intersect at 90 degrees. It can also imply independence or unrelatedness in abstract contexts.
Definition:
Relating to right angles or perpendicular lines; independent or unrelated in nature.
Synonyms:
perpendicular, independent, unrelated, rectangular
Part of Speech:
adjective
Antonyms:
parallel, dependent, related
Common Collocations:
orthogonal vectors, orthogonal lines, orthogonal projection, orthogonal transformation
Derivatives:
orthogonality, orthogonally
Usage Tips:
Use "orthogonal" to describe geometric relationships or abstract independence between concepts or systems.
Common Phrases:
orthogonal complement, orthogonal matrix, orthogonal basis
Etymology:
From Greek "orthogonios," meaning "right-angled," combining "ortho-" (straight) and "-gonia" (angle).
Examples:
- 1. The two lines are orthogonal and intersect at a right angle.
- 2. Their research topics are completely orthogonal and do not overlap.
- 3. The engineer designed an orthogonal grid for the city layout.
- 4. In mathematics, vectors are orthogonal if their dot product is zero.