orthodromic
|or-tho-dro-mic|
🇺🇸
/ˌɔrθəˈdrɑmɪk/
🇬🇧
/ˌɔːθəˈdrɒmɪk/
straight course / normal direction
Etymology
'orthodromic' originates from Ancient Greek, specifically the elements 'ortho-' (from 'orthós') and 'dromos', where 'ortho-' meant 'straight' or 'right' and 'dromos' meant 'running' or 'course'.
'orthodromic' developed via New/Scientific Latin and Medieval/Modern borrowings from Greek 'orthodromos' and related Latinized forms into English scientific usage (Greek 'orthodromos' → New Latin/Medieval Latin forms → modern English 'orthodromic').
Initially it meant 'straight-running' or 'relating to a straight course'; over time it came to be used specifically for 'relating to great-circle navigation' and, in physiology, 'conducting in the normal (anterograde) direction'.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Adjective 1
relating to or following an orthodrome (a great-circle route); along the shortest path between two points on the surface of a sphere (navigation/geodesy).
The ship took an orthodromic course across the ocean to save time and fuel.
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Adjective 2
in physiology/electrophysiology: conducting or occurring in the normal (anterograde) direction of impulses (e.g., the usual direction of nerve or cardiac conduction).
The arrhythmia was orthodromic, with impulses traveling anterogradely through the AV node.
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Last updated: 2025/10/25 19:28