Meanings
- uncountableartsThe geometrical correction of aerial photographs so that their displayed distances are rendered uniform and can be measured like a map.
During the past three decades, orthophotography has become an increasingly popular and useful tool for land managers. As quality and availability improve, this trend will continue. Orthophotography combines the planimetric precision of maps with the wealth of detail found on aerial photographs.
2012, David P. Paine, James D. Kiser, chapter 8, in Aerial Photography and Image Interpretation, John Wiley & Sons, →ISBN
Origin
- Proto-Indo-European*h₃er-
- Proto-Indo-European*dʰeh₁-
- Proto-Indo-European*h₃érdʰeti?
- Proto-Indo-European*h₃erdʰ-
- Proto-Hellenic*ortʰwós
- Ancient Greekὀρθός (orthós)
- Englishortho-
- Proto-Indo-European*bʰeh₂-
- Proto-Indo-European*bʰéh₂os
- Proto-Hellenic*pʰáwos
- Ancient Greekφᾰ́ος (phắos)
- Ancient Greekφῶς (phôs)
- Ancient Greekφωτο- (phōto-)
- Proto-Indo-European*gerbʰ-
- Proto-Hellenic*grə́pʰō
- Ancient Greekγρᾰ́φω (grắphō)
- Frenchphotographie
- Englishphotography
- Englishorthophotography
From ortho- (“straight”) + photography.
Full word history & related roots →Translations
Greek ορθοφωτογραφία
- ορθοφωτογραφία (orthofotografía)the technology of correcting aerial photographs so that displayed distances are uniform and can be measured like a map
Irish ortafótagrafaíocht
- ortafótagrafaíochtthe technology of correcting aerial photographs so that displayed distances are uniform and can be measured like a map
Rhymes & wordplay
Rhymes with orthophotography
Cite this entry
orthophotography. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/orthophotography
“orthophotography.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/orthophotography. Accessed November 4, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “orthophotography,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/orthophotography.
Source: orthophotography on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.