orthography
English · Thesaurus
AI In plain words
Writing a short explanation…
Written by a house AI from the entry below, in your language. The entry itself is the source.
orthography
- /ɔːˈθɒɡɹəfi/ UK
- /ɔɹˈθɑɡɹəfi/ US
Rhymes with -ɒɡɹəfi
Where it comes from
The noun is derived from Late Middle English ortografie, ortographie (“spelling”) [and other forms], and then either:
* from Anglo-Norman ortografie, Middle French orthographie, ortografie, ortographie (“correct spelling; orthographic projection”) (compare Old French ortografie; modern French orthographe (“spelling, orthography”), orthographie (“orthographic project, orthography”)); or
* from their etymon Latin orthographia (“correct spelling; building elevation”), from Koine Greek ὀρθογραφία (orthographía, “correct spelling”), from Ancient Greek ορθο- (ortho-, prefix meaning ‘right, proper; upright’) (from ὀρθός (orthós, “straight; erect, upright; correct, true”), ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *h₃erdʰ- (“to grow, increase; high; upright”)) + -γραφίᾱ (-graphíā, suffix meaning ‘drawing; writing’) (from γρᾰ́φω (grắphō, “to cut into, scratch; to write”), ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *gerbʰ- (“to carve”)).
The English word is analyzable as ortho- (prefix meaning ‘proper, right; straight’) + -graphy (suffix denoting something written or otherwise represented in a specified manner, or about a specified subject). The verb is derived from the noun. First use appears before c. 1460.
Cognates
* Catalan ortografia
* Italian ortografia
* Portuguese ortografia, orthografia (obsolete)
* Spanish ortografía
noun orthographies
- A method of representing a language or the sounds of language by written symbols; spelling. The Licencer indeed, as his autority novv ſtands, may licence much; but if theſe Greek Orthographies vvere of his licencing; the boyes at School might reck'n vvith him at his Grammar.
- A set of conventions for writing a language, including norms of spelling, capitalization, emphasis, hyphenation, punctuation, and word breaks.
- The aspect of language study concerned with letters and their sequences in words; the study of spelling. Not only the ſeveral Towns and Countries^([sic – meaning Counties]) of England, have a different way of pronouncing, but even here in London they clip their Words after one Manner about the Court, another in the City, and a third in the Suburbs; and in a few Years, it is probable, will all differ fr
-
Correct spelling according to established usage; also (obsolete) pronunciation according to the spelling of a word.
I abhor ſuch phanaticall phantaſims, ſuch inſociable and poynt deuiſe companions, ſuch rackers of ortagriphie, as to ſpeake dout ſine, when he ſhould ſay doubt; […]
Opposite: cacography
-
A form of projection used to represent three-dimensional objects in two dimensions, in which all the projection lines are orthogonal or perpendicular to the projection plane; an orthographic projection, especially when used to draw an elevation, vertical projection, etc., of a building; also (obsolete) a drawing made in this way.
Ichnography, by vvhich vve are to underſtand the very firſt Deſign and Ordinance of a VVork or Edifice, […] To this ſucceeds Orthography, or the erect elevation of the ſame in face or front deſcrib'd in meaſure upon the former Idea […]
Opposite: oblique projection
-
Synonym of orthographer (“someone knowledgeable in spelling rules”).
[H]e vvas vvoont to ſpeake plaine, and novv is he turnd ortography, his vvords are a very fantaſticall banquet, iuſt ſo many ſtrange diſhes: […]
Similar: orthographer
verb orthographies · orthographying · orthographied
- To spell (words) or write (text) according to established usage. [T]here have appeared three collections of ſongs and poems, all of vvhich, though there be merit in the compoſition, are, hovvever, vvretchedly orthographied.
Translations
Every language
noun method of representing a language or the sounds of language by written symbols — see also spelling
| Español | ortografía |
|---|---|
| 한국어 | 표기법 pyogibeop |
| 中文 | 正寫法 /正写法 zhèngxiěfǎ |
| Português | ortografia |
| Français | orthographe |
| Deutsch | Orthographie, Orthografie |
| Русский | орфогра́фия orfográfija |
noun set of conventions for writing a language, including norms of spelling, capitalization, emphasis, hyphenation, punctuation, and word breaks
| 한국어 | 맞춤법 matchumbeop |
|---|---|
| Deutsch | Rechtschreibung, Schreibweise |
noun aspect of language study concerned with letters and their sequences in words
| Español | ortografía |
|---|---|
| 中文 | 拼字 pīnzì, 拼寫法 /拼写法 pīnxiěfǎ |
| हिन्दी | वर्तनी vartanī |
| Português | ortografia |
| Français | orthographe |
| Deutsch | Rechtschreibkunde |
| Ελληνικά | ορθογραφία orthografía |
| Русский | орфогра́фия orfográfija, правописа́ние pravopisánije, спе́ллинг spélling |
| العربية | إِمْلَاء ʔimlāʔ |
noun correct spelling according to established usage
| Español | ortografía |
|---|---|
| 한국어 | 맞춤법 matchumbeop, 철자법 cheoljabeop |
| 日本語 | 正字法 seijihō, 綴り tsuzuri, 正書法 seishohō, オーソグラフィー ōsogurafī, スペリング superingu, スペル superu |
| 中文 | 正字法 zhèngzìfǎ, 拼字 pīnzì, 拼寫法 /拼写法 pīnxiěfǎ, 正詞法 /正词法 zhèngcífǎ, 拼寫 /拼写 pīnxiě, 寫法 /写法 xiěfǎ |
| हिन्दी | इमला imlā, वर्तनी vartanī, हिज्जे hijje |
| Kiswahili | tahajia, otografia |
| Português | ortografia |
| Français | orthographe |
| Deutsch | Orthografie, Rechtschreibung, Orthographie |
| Ελληνικά | ορθογραφία orthografía |
| Română | ortografie |
| Русский | орфогра́фия orfográfija, правописа́ние pravopisánije, спе́ллинг spélling |
| Tiếng Việt | chính tả, phép chính tả |
| العربية | عِلْم الْإِمْلَاء ʕilm al-ʔimlāʔ, هِجَاء hijāʔ, تَهْجِئَة tahjiʔa, إِمْلَاء ʔimlāʔ |
| עברית | אוֹרתוֹגְרָפִיָה ortográfya |
noun form of projection used to represent three-dimensional objects in two dimensions, in which all the projection lines are orthogonal or perpendicular to the proje
| עברית | אוֹרְתּוֹגְרַפְיָה ortográfia |
|---|
Talk about this word "orthography." Wiktionary, via Micwyn, micwyn.com/word/orthography. Accessed 6 Nov. 2026. orthography. (n.d.). In Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Retrieved November 6, 2026, from https://micwyn.com/word/orthography "orthography." Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Accessed November 6, 2026. https://micwyn.com/word/orthography.Cite this
@misc{orthography_2026,
title = {orthography},
howpublished = {Wiktionary, via Micwyn},
year = {2026},
url = {https://micwyn.com/word/orthography},
urldate = {2026-11-06}
}
