  An exploratory approach to the possibility of analyzing nonorthogonality as a
quantifiable property is presented. Three different measures for the
nonorthogonality of pure states are introduced, and one of these measures is
extended to single-particle density matrices using methods that are similar to
recently introduced techniques for quantifying entanglement. Several
interesting special cases are considered. It is pointed out that a measure of
nonorthogonality can meaningfully be associated with a single mixed quantum
state. It is then shown how nonorthogonality can be unlocked with classical
information; this analysis reveals interesting inequalities and points to a
number of connections between nonorthogonality and entanglement.
