Nonorthodox

Part of speech: adjective

Definitions

1. Not following or agreeing with official or traditional ideas and methods
2. Characterized by deviation from conventional beliefs or the accepted rules of conduct
3. Describes actions, opinions, or styles that do not align with usual or orthodox standards

Etymology: "Nonorthodox" is a plain formation: the prefix "non-" attached to "orthodox." The prefix comes from Latin "non," meaning "not," and it has been freely attached to English words since the early modern period, so it carries no special history of its own. The interesting part is the base word it modifies. "Orthodox" comes from Greek "orthodoxos," built from "orthos," meaning "straight" or "right," and "doxa," meaning "opinion" or "belief." Its original sense was "holding correct opinions," which is why the word later came to describe any belief or practice conforming to an established standard. The negated form therefore reads literally as "not holding the right opinion," a sense that has stayed close to the surface of the word's meaning.

Synonyms: unconventional, unorthodox

Antonyms: orthodox, traditional