Nonelectric

Part of speech: adjective

Definitions

1. Not utilizing electrical energy for operation or functionality
2. Characterized by the absence of electrical parts or mechanisms in design or use
3. Functioning without the use of electrical power or components

Etymology: "Nonelectric" is a plain English compound: the prefix "non-," meaning "not," attached to "electric." The root of "electric" is the Ancient Greek "ḗlektron," meaning amber, the yellowish fossil resin that gives off a static charge when rubbed. Greek speakers borrowed it into Latin as "ēlectrum," and scholars in the 1600s built "electricus" from it to describe substances like amber that attracted light objects when rubbed. That sense of "electric" ultimately comes from amber's behavior, a fact the modern word has lost sight of. The adjective "electric" entered English in the 1600s, and "nonelectric" follows the same pattern as other English words built with "non-," such as "nonmetallic" or "nonstop." It is a practical descriptive term, mainly used to separate devices and designs that run on mechanical or manual power from those that depend on electricity, such as a nonelectric clock or a nonelectric can opener.

Synonyms: manual, non-electric, unpowered, mechanical

Antonyms: electric