orthogonal
orthogonal — adjective
- orthogonalpositive
- more orthogonalcomparative
- most orthogonalsuperlative
1. describes lines, surfaces, or directions that meet at a right angle, like the co
describes lines, surfaces, or directions that meet at a right angle, like the corner of a square
In the sketch, the blue line is orthogonal to the base of the triangle.
be orthogonal to + noun
The architect checked that the two hallway walls stayed orthogonal at the corner.
Eri rotated the table leg until it looked orthogonal to the floor.
In the coordinate grid, the x-axis and y-axis are orthogonal.
- perpendicular
the closest geometry term and often interchangeable in everyday explanations
- right-angled
more often describes a shape or corner than the relation between two lines
- at right angles
common descriptive phrase instead of the single adjective
文法句型
be orthogonal to something
orthogonal + noun
用法筆記
Usually appears with to when one line, surface, or direction is being compared with another. Common in maths, design, and engineering writing.
2. describes ideas, systems, or variables that do not influence each other and can
describes ideas, systems, or variables that do not influence each other and can be handled separately
The team kept pricing and safety goals orthogonal during the first test.
keep A and B orthogonal
In the survey, age and language background were almost orthogonal factors.
Adaeze kept class goals orthogonal to party politics during the debate.
The software splits storage and search into orthogonal modules for easier updates.
- independent
broader everyday word with less technical flavour
- unrelated
stresses lack of connection, not necessarily separate design
- separate
plain everyday word, but less precise in technical writing
- decoupled
common in engineering and software when two parts are designed not to affect each other
- connected
shows that one part is linked to another
- correlated
used when two variables tend to change together
文法句型
be orthogonal to something
keep A and B orthogonal
orthogonal + noun
用法筆記
Often used in statistics, computing, and product design for parts that do not interfere with each other. Often followed by to, or used in patterns like keep A and B orthogonal.