How to pronounce orthogonal
Say it like or-THAH-guh-nul. Orthogonal has four syllables, and the main stress falls on the second one (THAH).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce orthogonal. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- or
- THAH
- guh
- nul
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Orthogonal pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- orKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the "aw" in law.
- THAHSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "ah" in father.
- guhKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the relaxed "uh" in about.
- nulKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the relaxed "uh" in about.
American vs British pronunciation of orthogonal
- Americans pronounce the r after a vowel; most British speakers leave it silent and lengthen the vowel instead.
- The short o is rounded in British English (as in "hot"), but open and unrounded in American English.
British respelling: aw-THOG-uh-nul.
What does orthogonal mean?
- Of two objects, at right angles; perpendicular to each other.“A chord and the radius that bisects it are orthogonal.”
- Of a pair of vectors: having a zero inner product; perpendicular.“The normal vector and tangent vector at a given point are orthogonal.”
- Of a square matrix: such that its transpose is equal to its inverse.
- An orthogonal line.“All of the orthogonals in this painting display an understanding of linear perspective.”
Similar and opposite words
Similar meaning
Questions about saying orthogonal
How do you pronounce orthogonal?
Say or-THAH-guh-nul. The American pronunciation is /ɔrˈθɑɡənəl/. In British English it is /ɔːˈθɒɡənəl/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in orthogonal?
Orthogonal has four syllables, and the main stress falls on the second one (THAH). Broken into parts: or · THAH · guh · nul.
Is orthogonal pronounced differently in British English?
Yes. Americans pronounce the r after a vowel; most British speakers leave it silent and lengthen the vowel instead. The British form is /ɔːˈθɒɡənəl/ (aw-THOG-uh-nul).