orthogonal

Definition from Wiktionary, the free dictionary Jump to: navigation, search WOTD - 25 April 2006

Contents

English

Wikipedia has an article on: Orthogonality

Etymology

Mediaeval Latin orthogonalis, from Latin orthogonius "right-angled".

Pronunciation

Adjective

orthogonal (non-comparable)

  1. (geometry) pertaining to right angles; perpendicular (to)
    A chord and the radius that bisects it are orthogonal.
  2. (mathematics)
    1. Of two functions, linearly independent; having a zero inner product.
      The normal vector and tangent vector at a given point are orthogonal.
    2. Of a square matrix that is the inverse of its transpose
    3. Of a linear transformation that preserves angles
  3. (statistics) statistically independent, with reference to variates
  4. (software engineering) Able to be treated separately.
    The content of the message should be orthogonal to the means of its delivery.

Derived terms

Related terms

French

Etymology

Mediaeval Latin orthogonalis, from late Latin orthogonius "right-angled".

Pronunciation

Adjective

orthogonal m. (f. orthogonale, m. plural orthogonaux, f. plural orthogonales)

  1. orthogonal

 

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