"pertaining to or depending upon the use of right angles," 1570s, from French orthogonal, from orthogone, from Late Latin orthogonius, from Greek orthogonios "right-angled," from ortho- "straight" (see ortho-) + gōnia "angle, corner" (from PIE root *genu- (1) "knee; angle"). Related: Orthogonally; orthogonality.
