Orthodox

How to spell orthodox

8 letters · 3 syllables

How to pronounce orthodox

Say the part in capitals loudest.

What does orthodox mean?

1. adjectiveConforming to established or widely accepted beliefs, methods, or practices.
2. adjectiveStrictly observing the traditional doctrines and practices of a religion.

Orthodox in a sentence

• The surgeon chose a more orthodox approach rather than the experimental procedure.

• An orthodox Jewish household keeps a strictly kosher kitchen.

• His investment strategy was entirely orthodox, favouring index funds over risky bets.

• The family followed orthodox traditions during every major festival.

Where does orthodox come from?

Language of origin: Greek

This word comes from the Greek orthodoxos, which combined orthos, meaning 'straight' or 'right', with doxa, meaning 'opinion', 'belief', or 'glory'. The literal sense was therefore 'having the right opinion', a description of someone whose views aligned with accepted teaching. It entered English in the early 1400s, largely through ecclesiastical Latin, where it described correct religious doctrine as opposed to heresy. The same ortho- element appears in everyday words like orthopaedic ('straightening' bones) and orthography ('correct writing'), which is a useful reminder that the spelling keeps the Greek 'th' and the 'o' rather than any phonetic shortcut. The doxa half also survives in 'paradox', literally a belief that runs alongside or against expectation, so the unusual '-dox' ending is genuinely Greek and not a quirk.

How the word is built

• ortho- (straight, correct)
• dox (from Greek doxa: opinion, belief)