Nontraditional

Part of speech: adjective

Definitions

1. Departing from established customs, methods, or conventions in favor of alternative or unconventional approaches
2. Straying from conventional methods and norms, this term describes practices or beliefs that embrace alternative approaches or perspectives outside of traditional frameworks
3. Breaking away from established norms, this term refers to approaches, methods, or beliefs that favor unorthodox or innovative alternatives

Etymology: "Nontraditional" is a plain formation: the prefix "non-", meaning "not", attached to "traditional". The prefix comes from the Old English "nān", meaning "not one" or "none", which gives the negative sense that English has used ever since. Its use is common in modern English, but the word is itself built entirely from parts that were already in the language. "Traditional" is the more layered half. It descends from Latin "trāditiō", meaning a handing over or delivery, which came from "trādere", to hand over, from "trāns" (across) and "dare" (to give). The sense of "something handed down" from one generation to the next came later, passing through Old French "tradicion" into Middle English as "tradiciun". The adjective "traditional" was then formed in English by adding the suffix "-al", which comes from Latin "-ālis" by way of Old French. So a "nontraditional" practice is, etymologically, one that has not been handed down, which is the literal core of the sense that the word still carries.

Synonyms: unconventional, alternative, nonconformist

Antonyms: traditional, conventional