Nonwriters

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. Individuals who do not engage in writing as a regular practice or profession
2. People who are not skilled or trained in the art of writing, thus lacking proficiency in that craft
3. Those who refrain from putting their thoughts or stories into written form, often preferring other forms of expression

Etymology: "Nonwriter" is a plain formation: the prefix "non-", meaning "not", attached to "writer." The base word traces back through Middle English "writer" to Old English "wrītere," a derivative of "wrītan," meaning "to write" or "to score, to carve." That older sense of cutting marks into a surface is a useful reminder that writing began as an act of incision rather than of pen and ink. Because "non-" can be attached to almost any noun in English, "nonwriter" is a transparent coinage rather than a word with a dramatic history. Its meaning follows directly from its parts: a person who does not write, which in the sense given here means someone not trained or skilled in the craft of writing.

Synonyms: non-authors