Nonstructural

Part of speech: adjective

Definitions

1. Referring to components that do not play a role in the physical or functional framework of a system
2. Concerning aspects that are not integral to the primary design or stability of a structure in any context
3. Describing elements that do not contribute to the essential architecture or operational integrity of a system or framework

Etymology: "Nonstructural" is a plain formation: the prefix "non-" attached to "structural." The prefix comes from Middle English "non," which descends from Old English "nān," meaning "not one" or "none," and it has been used as a productive prefix in English for centuries to negate almost any adjective or noun. "Structural" is the older and more interesting part of the pair. It derives from "structure," which comes from Latin "structura," a building or arrangement, from "struere," to pile up or construct. The adjective built on it describes what belongs to a building's framework or an organized system's basic form. Adding "non-" simply reverses that sense, so "nonstructural" names whatever lies outside the load-bearing framework, such as a wall that holds up no weight or a component that is not essential to a system's organization.