I. ˈȯ(r)thəˌdäks adjective
Etymology: Middle French or Late Latin; Middle French orthodoxe, from Late Latin orthodoxus, from Late Greek orthodoxos, from Greek orthodoxein to have the right opinion, from ortho- straight, right, true + -doxein (from doxa opinion, belief, reputation) — more at orth- , doxology
1. : marked by conformity to doctrines or practices especially in religion that are held as right or true by some authority, standard, or tradition
the simple security of the old orthodox assumptions has vanished — A.N.Whitehead
as
a. : conforming to the Christian faith as formulated in the church creeds and confessions
an orthodox Christian
b. : according to or congruous with the doctrines of Scripture as interpreted in some standard (as the creed of a church or decree of a council)
orthodox belief
an orthodox book
— contrasted with heretical and heterodox
2. usually capitalized : of, relating to, or characterizing a particular religious organization or group (as the Eastern Orthodox Church, the Sunnites of Islam, Hindus acknowledging the authority of the Vedas, or the conservative Friends as distinguished from the Hicksite Friends)
3.
a. : of, relating to, or characterizing the dominant or officially approved form of something
orthodox Marxism
the orthodox form of a text
orthodox economic theory
the orthodox approach
b. : conservative
very orthodox in her belief and practices
simple, dark, orthodox clothes — English Digest
c. : conventional
orthodox routes to Europe — Geographical Journal
orthodox in treatment and subject — Charles Lee
• or·tho·dox·ness noun -es
II. noun
( plural orthodox or orthodoxes )
Etymology: Medieval Latin orthodoxus, from Late Latin, orthodox, adjective
1. : one that is orthodox
2. usually capitalized : a member of the Eastern Orthodox Church