noun · verb · 8 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot
Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.
Sound
Pronunciation
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Received-Pronunciation:/ɔːˈθɒɡɹəfi/
General-American:ôrthäʹgrəfē
General-American:/ɔɹˈθɑɡɹəfi/
General-American:Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
rhymes with -ɒɡɹəfi
CMU ARPABET:AO0 R TH AA1 G R AH0 F IY0
Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.
1
noun
Meaning 1
A method of representing a language or the sounds of language by written symbols; spelling.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: countable
Topics: human-sciences, linguistics, sciences
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
2
noun
Meaning 2
A set of conventions for writing a language, including norms of spelling, capitalization, emphasis, hyphenation, punctuation, and word breaks.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: countable
Qualifier: more broadly
Topics: human-sciences, linguistics, sciences
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
3
noun
Meaning 3
The aspect of language study concerned with letters and their sequences in words; the study of spelling.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: uncountable
Topics: human-sciences, linguistics, sciences
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
4
noun
Meaning 4
Correct spelling according to established usage; also (obsolete) pronunciation according to the spelling of a word.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: uncountable
Topics: human-sciences, linguistics, sciences
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: cacography
5
noun
Meaning 5
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.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: countable
Topics: architecture
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: oblique projection
6
noun
Meaning 6
Synonym of orthographer (“someone knowledgeable in spelling rules”).
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: countable, obsolete
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: orthographer
Antonyms: none provided
7
verb
Meaning 7
To spell (words) or write (text) according to established usage.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: archaic, rare, transitive
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
8
noun
Meaning 8
a method of representing the sounds of a language by written or printed symbols
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: writing system
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: writing
Narrower terms: script, spelling, picture writing, alphabetic writing, alphabetic script, boustrophedon, ideography, hieroglyph, hieroglyphic, point system, Linear A
History
Etymology
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
Across languages
Translations
224 source translations are retained for this English entry.
Hebrew:
אוֹרְתּוֹגְרַפְיָה
(ortográfia)
— 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
Albanian:
drejtshkrim
— method of representing a language or the sounds of language by written symbols — see also spelling
Armenian:
ուղղագրություն
(uġġagrutʻyun)
— method of representing a language or the sounds of language by written symbols — see also spelling
Burmese:
ရေးထုံး
(re:htum:)
— method of representing a language or the sounds of language by written symbols — see also spelling
Burmese:
စာလုံးပေါင်း
(calum:paung:)
— method of representing a language or the sounds of language by written symbols — see also spelling
Burmese:
အသတ်
(a.sat)
— method of representing a language or the sounds of language by written symbols — see also spelling
Catalan:
ortografia
— method of representing a language or the sounds of language by written symbols — see also spelling
Cebuano:
ortograpiya
— method of representing a language or the sounds of language by written symbols — see also spelling
Chinese Mandarin:
正寫法 /正写法
(zhèngxiěfǎ)
— method of representing a language or the sounds of language by written symbols — see also spelling
Danish:
ortografi
— method of representing a language or the sounds of language by written symbols — see also spelling
Danish:
retskrivning
— method of representing a language or the sounds of language by written symbols — see also spelling
Dutch:
spelling
— method of representing a language or the sounds of language by written symbols — see also spelling
Esperanto:
ortografio
— method of representing a language or the sounds of language by written symbols — see also spelling
Finnish:
oikeinkirjoitus
— method of representing a language or the sounds of language by written symbols — see also spelling
Finnish:
oikeinkirjoitusjärjestelmä
— method of representing a language or the sounds of language by written symbols — see also spelling
French:
orthographe
— method of representing a language or the sounds of language by written symbols — see also spelling
Galician:
ortografía
— method of representing a language or the sounds of language by written symbols — see also spelling
Georgian:
ორთოგრაფია
(ortograpia)
— method of representing a language or the sounds of language by written symbols — see also spelling
Georgian:
მართლწერა
(martlc̣era)
— method of representing a language or the sounds of language by written symbols — see also spelling
German:
Orthographie
— method of representing a language or the sounds of language by written symbols — see also spelling
German:
Orthografie
— method of representing a language or the sounds of language by written symbols — see also spelling
Ingrian:
orfografia
— method of representing a language or the sounds of language by written symbols — see also spelling
Irish:
ortagrafaíocht
— method of representing a language or the sounds of language by written symbols — see also spelling
Korean:
표기법
(pyogibeop)
— method of representing a language or the sounds of language by written symbols — see also spelling
Latvian:
ortogrāfija
— method of representing a language or the sounds of language by written symbols — see also spelling
Macedonian:
правопис
(pravopis)
— method of representing a language or the sounds of language by written symbols — see also spelling
Macedonian:
ортографија
(ortografija)
— method of representing a language or the sounds of language by written symbols — see also spelling
Māori:
kaupapa tātaki-kupu
— method of representing a language or the sounds of language by written symbols — see also spelling
Polish:
ortografia
— method of representing a language or the sounds of language by written symbols — see also spelling
Portuguese:
ortografia
— method of representing a language or the sounds of language by written symbols — see also spelling
Russian:
орфогра́фия
(orfográfija)
— method of representing a language or the sounds of language by written symbols — see also spelling
Scottish Gaelic:
litreachadh
— method of representing a language or the sounds of language by written symbols — see also spelling
Serbo-Croatian:
пра̏вопӣс
— method of representing a language or the sounds of language by written symbols — see also spelling
Serbo-Croatian:
ортогра̀фија
— method of representing a language or the sounds of language by written symbols — see also spelling
Serbo-Croatian:
prȁvopīs
— method of representing a language or the sounds of language by written symbols — see also spelling
Serbo-Croatian:
ortogràfija
— method of representing a language or the sounds of language by written symbols — see also spelling
Spanish:
ortografía
— method of representing a language or the sounds of language by written symbols — see also spelling
Thai:
อักขรวิธี
(àk-kà-rà-wí-tii)
— method of representing a language or the sounds of language by written symbols — see also spelling
Bulgarian:
правопи́с
(pravopís)
— set of conventions for writing a language, including norms of spelling, capitalization, emphasis, hyphenation, punctuation, and word breaks
German:
Rechtschreibung
— set of conventions for writing a language, including norms of spelling, capitalization, emphasis, hyphenation, punctuation, and word breaks
German:
Schreibweise
— set of conventions for writing a language, including norms of spelling, capitalization, emphasis, hyphenation, punctuation, and word breaks
Korean:
맞춤법
(matchumbeop)
— set of conventions for writing a language, including norms of spelling, capitalization, emphasis, hyphenation, punctuation, and word breaks
Māori:
kaupapa tātaki-kupu
— set of conventions for writing a language, including norms of spelling, capitalization, emphasis, hyphenation, punctuation, and word breaks
Arabic:
إِمْلَاء
(ʔimlāʔ)
— aspect of language study concerned with letters and their sequences in words
Armenian:
ուղղագրություն
(uġġagrutʻyun)
— aspect of language study concerned with letters and their sequences in words
Catalan:
ortografia
— aspect of language study concerned with letters and their sequences in words
Cebuano:
ortograpiya
— aspect of language study concerned with letters and their sequences in words
Chinese Mandarin:
拼字
(pīnzì)
— aspect of language study concerned with letters and their sequences in words
Chinese Mandarin:
拼寫法 /拼写法
(pīnxiěfǎ)
— aspect of language study concerned with letters and their sequences in words
Danish:
ortografi
— aspect of language study concerned with letters and their sequences in words
Danish:
retskrivning
— aspect of language study concerned with letters and their sequences in words
Dutch:
spelling
— aspect of language study concerned with letters and their sequences in words
Finnish:
ortografia
— aspect of language study concerned with letters and their sequences in words
Finnish:
oikeinkirjoitusoppi
— aspect of language study concerned with letters and their sequences in words
French:
orthographe
— aspect of language study concerned with letters and their sequences in words
Galician:
ortografía
— aspect of language study concerned with letters and their sequences in words
Georgian:
მართლწერა
(martlc̣era)
— aspect of language study concerned with letters and their sequences in words
Georgian:
ორთოგრაფია
(ortograpia)
— aspect of language study concerned with letters and their sequences in words
German:
Rechtschreibkunde
— aspect of language study concerned with letters and their sequences in words
Greek:
ορθογραφία
(orthografía)
— aspect of language study concerned with letters and their sequences in words
Hindi:
वर्तनी
(vartanī)
— aspect of language study concerned with letters and their sequences in words
Icelandic:
staffræði
— aspect of language study concerned with letters and their sequences in words
Irish:
ortagrafaíocht
— aspect of language study concerned with letters and their sequences in words
Latvian:
ortogrāfija
— aspect of language study concerned with letters and their sequences in words
Latvian:
pareizrakstība
— aspect of language study concerned with letters and their sequences in words
Macedonian:
правопис
(pravopis)
— aspect of language study concerned with letters and their sequences in words
Macedonian:
ортографија
(ortografija)
— aspect of language study concerned with letters and their sequences in words
Norwegian Bokmål:
ortografi
— aspect of language study concerned with letters and their sequences in words
Norwegian Bokmål:
rettskriving
— aspect of language study concerned with letters and their sequences in words
Norwegian Bokmål:
rettskrivning
— aspect of language study concerned with letters and their sequences in words
Norwegian Nynorsk:
ortografi
— aspect of language study concerned with letters and their sequences in words
Norwegian Nynorsk:
rettskriving
— aspect of language study concerned with letters and their sequences in words
Pohnpeian:
koasoandi en nting
— aspect of language study concerned with letters and their sequences in words
Polish:
ortografia
— aspect of language study concerned with letters and their sequences in words
Portuguese:
ortografia
— aspect of language study concerned with letters and their sequences in words
Russian:
орфогра́фия
(orfográfija)
— aspect of language study concerned with letters and their sequences in words
Russian:
правописа́ние
(pravopisánije)
— aspect of language study concerned with letters and their sequences in words
Russian:
спе́ллинг
(spélling)
— aspect of language study concerned with letters and their sequences in words
Scottish Gaelic:
litreachadh
— aspect of language study concerned with letters and their sequences in words
Serbo-Croatian:
пра̏вопӣс
— aspect of language study concerned with letters and their sequences in words
Serbo-Croatian:
ортогра̀фија
— aspect of language study concerned with letters and their sequences in words
Serbo-Croatian:
prȁvopīs
— aspect of language study concerned with letters and their sequences in words
Serbo-Croatian:
ortogràfija
— aspect of language study concerned with letters and their sequences in words
Spanish:
ortografía
— aspect of language study concerned with letters and their sequences in words
Swedish:
ortografi
— aspect of language study concerned with letters and their sequences in words
Albanian:
ortografi
— correct spelling according to established usage
Arabic:
عِلْم الْإِمْلَاء
(ʕilm al-ʔimlāʔ)
— correct spelling according to established usage
Arabic:
هِجَاء
(hijāʔ)
— correct spelling according to established usage
Arabic:
تَهْجِئَة
(tahjiʔa)
— correct spelling according to established usage
Arabic:
إِمْلَاء
(ʔimlāʔ)
— correct spelling according to established usage
Armenian:
ուղղագրություն
(uġġagrutʻyun)
— correct spelling according to established usage
Azerbaijani:
orfoqrafiya
— correct spelling according to established usage
Azerbaijani:
imla
— correct spelling according to established usage
Belarusian:
пра́вапіс
(právapis)
— correct spelling according to established usage
Belarusian:
арфагра́фія
(arfahráfija)
— correct spelling according to established usage
Belarusian:
артагра́фія
(artahráfija)
— correct spelling according to established usage
Bengali:
লিখনবিধি
(likhonbidhi)
— correct spelling according to established usage
Bulgarian:
правопи́с
(pravopís)
— correct spelling according to established usage
Bulgarian:
ортогра́фия
(ortográfija)
— correct spelling according to established usage
Burmese:
စာလုံးပေါင်းသတ်ပုံ
(calum:paung:satpum)
— correct spelling according to established usage
Catalan:
ortografia
— correct spelling according to established usage
Cebuano:
ortograpiya
— correct spelling according to established usage
Chinese Mandarin:
正字法
(zhèngzìfǎ)
— correct spelling according to established usage
Chinese Mandarin:
拼字
(pīnzì)
— correct spelling according to established usage
Chinese Mandarin:
拼寫法 /拼写法
(pīnxiěfǎ)
— correct spelling according to established usage
Chinese Mandarin:
正詞法 /正词法
(zhèngcífǎ)
— correct spelling according to established usage
Chinese Mandarin:
拼寫 /拼写
(pīnxiě)
— correct spelling according to established usage
Chinese Mandarin:
寫法 /写法
(xiěfǎ)
— correct spelling according to established usage
Chinese Mandarin:
正字學 /正字学
(zhèngzìxué)
— correct spelling according to established usage
Czech:
pravopis
— correct spelling according to established usage
Czech:
ortografie
— correct spelling according to established usage
Danish:
ortografi
— correct spelling according to established usage
Danish:
retskrivning
— correct spelling according to established usage
Dutch:
spelling
— correct spelling according to established usage
Dutch:
ortografie
— correct spelling according to established usage
Estonian:
ortograafia
— correct spelling according to established usage
Estonian:
õigekiri
— correct spelling according to established usage
Faroese:
rættskriving
— correct spelling according to established usage
Finnish:
ortografia
— correct spelling according to established usage
Finnish:
oikeinkirjoitusoppi
— correct spelling according to established usage
Finnish:
oikeinkirjoitus
— correct spelling according to established usage
French:
orthographe
— correct spelling according to established usage
Galician:
ortografía
— correct spelling according to established usage
Georgian:
მართლწერა
(martlc̣era)
— correct spelling according to established usage
Georgian:
ორთოგრაფია
(ortograpia)
— correct spelling according to established usage
German:
Orthografie
— correct spelling according to established usage
German:
Rechtschreibung
— correct spelling according to established usage
German:
Orthographie
— correct spelling according to established usage
Greek:
ορθογραφία
(orthografía)
— correct spelling according to established usage
Hebrew:
אוֹרתוֹגְרָפִיָה
(ortográfya)
— correct spelling according to established usage
Hindi:
इमला
(imlā)
— correct spelling according to established usage
Hindi:
वर्तनी
(vartanī)
— correct spelling according to established usage
Hindi:
हिज्जे
(hijje)
— correct spelling according to established usage
Hungarian:
helyesírás
— correct spelling according to established usage
Icelandic:
réttritun
— correct spelling according to established usage
Indonesian:
ortografi
— correct spelling according to established usage
Interlingua:
orthographia
— correct spelling according to established usage
Irish:
ortagrafaíocht
— correct spelling according to established usage
Japanese:
正字法
(seijihō)
— correct spelling according to established usage
Japanese:
綴り
(tsuzuri)
— correct spelling according to established usage
Japanese:
正書法
(seishohō)
— correct spelling according to established usage
Japanese:
オーソグラフィー
(ōsogurafī)
— correct spelling according to established usage
Japanese:
スペリング
(superingu)
— correct spelling according to established usage
Japanese:
スペル
(superu)
— correct spelling according to established usage
Japanese:
綴り字
(tsuzuriji)
— correct spelling according to established usage
Kazakh:
орфография
(orfografiä)
— correct spelling according to established usage
Kazakh:
емле
(emle)
— correct spelling according to established usage
Khmer:
អក្ខរាវិរុទ្ធ
(ʼakkhaʼraavirut)
— correct spelling according to established usage
Korean:
맞춤법
(matchumbeop)
— correct spelling according to established usage
Korean:
철자법
(cheoljabeop)
— correct spelling according to established usage
Korean:
받침법
(batchimbeop)
— correct spelling according to established usage
Northern Kurdish:
imla
— correct spelling according to established usage
Northern Kurdish:
vekît
— correct spelling according to established usage
Kyrgyz:
орфография
(orfografiya)
— correct spelling according to established usage
Kyrgyz:
тууражазым
(tuurajazım)
— correct spelling according to established usage
Lao:
ອັກຂະລະວິທີ
(ʼak kha la wi thī)
— correct spelling according to established usage
Latvian:
ortogrāfija
— correct spelling according to established usage
Latvian:
pareizrakstība
— correct spelling according to established usage
Lithuanian:
ortografija
— correct spelling according to established usage
Lithuanian:
rašyba
— correct spelling according to established usage
Macedonian:
правопис
(pravopis)
— correct spelling according to established usage
Macedonian:
ортографија
(ortografija)
— correct spelling according to established usage
Malay:
ejaan
— correct spelling according to established usage
Malay:
ortografi
— correct spelling according to established usage
Malay:
eja
— correct spelling according to established usage
Middle English:
ortographie
— correct spelling according to established usage
Mongolian:
зөв бичих зүй
(zöv bičix züj)
— correct spelling according to established usage
Norwegian Bokmål:
ortografi
— correct spelling according to established usage
Norwegian Bokmål:
rettskriving
— correct spelling according to established usage
Norwegian Bokmål:
rettskrivning
— correct spelling according to established usage
Norwegian Nynorsk:
ortografi
— correct spelling according to established usage
Norwegian Nynorsk:
rettskriving
— correct spelling according to established usage
Pashto:
املا
(emlā)
— correct spelling according to established usage
Pashto:
ليکدود
(likdod)
— correct spelling according to established usage
Pashto:
رسم الخط
(rasm ol-xat)
— correct spelling according to established usage
Iranian Persian:
رَسْماُلْخَطّ
(rasm-olxatt)
— correct spelling according to established usage
Iranian Persian:
دُرُسْتنِویسی
(dorost-nevisi)
— correct spelling according to established usage
Iranian Persian:
اِمْلا
(emlâ)
— correct spelling according to established usage
Polish:
ortografia
— correct spelling according to established usage
Polish:
pisownia
— correct spelling according to established usage
Portuguese:
ortografia
— correct spelling according to established usage
Romanian:
ortografie
— correct spelling according to established usage
Russian:
орфогра́фия
(orfográfija)
— correct spelling according to established usage
Russian:
правописа́ние
(pravopisánije)
— correct spelling according to established usage
Russian:
спе́ллинг
(spélling)
— correct spelling according to established usage
Scottish Gaelic:
litreachadh
— correct spelling according to established usage
Serbo-Croatian:
пра̏вопӣс
— correct spelling according to established usage
Serbo-Croatian:
ортогра̀фија
— correct spelling according to established usage
Serbo-Croatian:
prȁvopīs
— correct spelling according to established usage
Serbo-Croatian:
ortogràfija
— correct spelling according to established usage
Slovak:
pravopis
— correct spelling according to established usage
Slovak:
ortografia
— correct spelling according to established usage
Slovene:
pravopís
— correct spelling according to established usage
Slovene:
ortografija
— correct spelling according to established usage
Spanish:
ortografía
— correct spelling according to established usage
Swahili:
tahajia
— correct spelling according to established usage
Swahili:
otografia
— correct spelling according to established usage
Swedish:
rättstavning
— correct spelling according to established usage
Swedish:
ortografi
— correct spelling according to established usage
Tagalog:
palabaybayan
— correct spelling according to established usage
Tagalog:
palatitikan
— correct spelling according to established usage
Tagalog:
ortograpiya
— correct spelling according to established usage
Tajik:
имло
(imlo)
— correct spelling according to established usage
Tajik:
коидаҳои хат
(koyidaho-yi xat)
— correct spelling according to established usage
Tajik:
расмулхат
(rasmulxat)
— correct spelling according to established usage
Thai:
อักขรวิธี
(àk-kà-rà-wí-tii)
— correct spelling according to established usage
Turkish:
ortografi
— correct spelling according to established usage
Turkish:
yazım
— correct spelling according to established usage
Turkish:
imla
— correct spelling according to established usage
Turkmen:
orfografiýa
— correct spelling according to established usage
Ukrainian:
право́пис
(pravópys)
— correct spelling according to established usage
Ukrainian:
орфогра́фія
(orfohráfija)
— correct spelling according to established usage
Ukrainian:
ортогра́фія
(ortohráfija)
— correct spelling according to established usage
Urdu:
اِمْلا
(imlā)
— correct spelling according to established usage
Urdu:
عِلْمُ الْتَہَجّی
('ilm ul-tahajjī)
— correct spelling according to established usage
Urdu:
ہِجّے
(hijje)
— correct spelling according to established usage
Uyghur:
ئىملا
(imla)
— correct spelling according to established usage
Uyghur:
ئورفوگرافىيە
(orfografiye)
— correct spelling according to established usage
Uzbek:
orfografiya
— correct spelling according to established usage
Uzbek:
imlo
— correct spelling according to established usage
Vietnamese:
chính tả
— correct spelling according to established usage
Vietnamese:
phép chính tả
— correct spelling according to established usage
Yiddish:
אָרטאָגראַפֿיע
(ortografye)
— correct spelling according to established usage
Yoruba:
àkọtọ́
— correct spelling according to established usage
