orthodox
orthodox — adjective
- orthodoxpositive
- more orthodoxcomparative
- most orthodoxsuperlative
1. following beliefs, methods, or tastes that most people see as the usual and prop
following beliefs, methods, or tastes that most people see as the usual and proper ones
When house prices jumped, the bank kept an orthodox lending policy.
orthodox lending policy
Most doctors took an orthodox view and advised bed rest.
orthodox view
The clinic rejected new pills and chose the orthodox treatment.
orthodox treatment
After the vote, the party returned to an orthodox tax policy.
return to an orthodox policy
The school kept an orthodox rule that boys wear ties.
orthodox rule that...
- orthodox view
- orthodox method
- orthodox answer
- orthodox wedding
- orthodox plan
- conventional
a close match that often stresses ordinary or expected practice
- traditional
focuses more on older customs being kept
- mainstream
often suggests the view held by most people now
- established
stresses that the idea or method is already accepted
- unorthodox
the direct opposite for ideas or methods that break with accepted practice
- unconventional
a common opposite for behavior or styles that do not follow the norm
Grammar Patterns
an orthodox view
an orthodox method
an orthodox approach
Usage Note
Common with nouns such as view, method, approach, and plan. Distinguish from sense 2, which is specifically about religion, and from sense 3, which refers to the Orthodox Church.
Common Mistakes
2. holding firmly to the older rules and ways of worship in a religion
holding firmly to the older rules and ways of worship in a religion
Leah grew up in an orthodox Jewish family in Brooklyn.
orthodox Jewish family
The village imam teaches an orthodox form of Islam.
orthodox form of a religion
On Fridays, several boys wore orthodox dress and white caps.
orthodox dress
At his London office, Yusuf stayed orthodox and left early for prayers.
stay orthodox in practice
The rabbi's orthodox reading of the law kept boys and girls apart.
orthodox reading of the law
- orthodox Jewish family
- orthodox form of Islam
- orthodox dress
- orthodox reading of the law
- traditional
a broader word for keeping older beliefs or customs
- conservative
often stresses resistance to change in belief or practice
- observant
focuses more on carefully following religious rules
Grammar Patterns
an orthodox Jew
an orthodox community
an orthodox reading of the law
Usage Note
Often used with names of religions, communities, or ways of reading sacred law. Distinguish from sense 3: this sense can describe strict traditional practice in many religions, not only the Orthodox Church.
Common Mistakes
3. used for the Christian Church called the Orthodox Church, or for its people, art
used for the Christian Church called the Orthodox Church, or for its people, art, and worship
An Orthodox priest blessed the fishing boats before sunrise.
Orthodox priest
The family keeps Orthodox icons beside the front door.
Orthodox icons
We visited an Orthodox church with blue roofs and gold crosses.
Orthodox church
Her choir learned an Orthodox Easter song for the spring festival.
Orthodox Easter
The museum showed Orthodox robes from old churches in Greece.
Orthodox robes
- Orthodox Church
- Orthodox priest
- Orthodox icons
- Orthodox Easter
- Orthodox robes
- Eastern Orthodox
the fuller term, especially when contrast with other Christian branches is needed
Grammar Patterns
the Orthodox Church
an Orthodox priest
Orthodox icons
Usage Note
Normally written with a capital O in this sense. Common before nouns like Church, priest, Christian, icon, or Easter. Distinguish from sense 2, which is about traditional religious practice more generally.
Common Mistakes
orthodox — noun
1. a person who strongly supports accepted or traditional beliefs, opinions, or way
a person who strongly supports accepted or traditional beliefs, opinions, or ways of doing things
In the radio debate, Helena sounded like an orthodox, not a reformer.
sound like an orthodox
At art school, younger painters called Leo an orthodox for copying old masters.
label someone as an orthodox
At the meeting, every orthodox on the board opposed the new sex lessons.
every orthodox in + group
In that debate, Aunt Rosa was the orthodox defending the old rules.
the orthodox + -ing clause
- an orthodox in the debate
- party orthodox
- religious orthodox
- cultural orthodox
- traditionalist
the more usual noun for someone who wants older ways to continue
- conservative
broader and often used in politics as well as social attitudes
- conformist
often negative, stressing a habit of following accepted opinion
Grammar Patterns
be an orthodox
sound like an orthodox
every orthodox in the room
Usage Note
Rare as a noun. More common in writing about political, religious, or cultural debates, often when contrasting one person with reformers or radicals.
Common Mistakes
2. someone who belongs to the Orthodox Church
someone who belongs to the Orthodox Church
Nikos is an Orthodox from a small fishing town in Crete.
be an Orthodox
Many Orthodox light candles before the Easter service begins.
Many Orthodox + verb
At college, an Orthodox shared a room with two Muslims.
an Orthodox + shared
The guide said most villagers were Orthodox in that mountain valley.
were Orthodox
Maria married an Orthodox from northern Greece last summer.
marry an Orthodox
- an Orthodox from Greece
- many Orthodox
- Orthodox fast
- Orthodox worship
- Orthodox Christian
a fuller and clearer phrase in everyday use
- Eastern Orthodox Christian
the most exact form when you need the full church name
Grammar Patterns
be an Orthodox
many Orthodox
marry an Orthodox
Usage Note
Usually capitalized. Often used in contrast with other Christian groups, or in sentences about church life, Easter, fasting, or local customs.
Common Mistakes
Word family
- orthodoxynounC2
- unorthodoxadjectiveC2
- unorthodoxynounC2
Synonym discussion
Sense: adjective/1
Orthodox suggests a stronger tie to accepted rules or approved beliefs than conventional. Conventional often just means ordinary or expected, while orthodox can imply that other ideas are seen as doubtful or improper. Traditional points more clearly to older customs that are being kept over time. Mainstream focuses on what most people accept now, especially in culture, politics, or public opinion, and it may be modern rather than old. So an orthodox method follows accepted practice, a traditional ceremony keeps old customs, and a mainstream view is simply the one most people currently hold. You might say The school kept an orthodox policy, but The village kept a traditional wedding.
Etymology
Orthodox comes from Greek orthodoxos, a word built from orthos meaning right or straight and doxa meaning opinion or belief. It passed through Late Latin and French before entering English, and its earliest use was mainly about correct religious belief.