nontraditional

British  

/ ˌnɒntrəˈdɪʃənəl /

adjective

1. not traditional; unconventional

   nontraditional lifestyles

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Explanation

Anything that's different from the usual customs or traditions is nontraditional. Riding a unicycle to school is a nontraditional form of transportation. Tradition is the passing on of beliefs and rules through the generations. People or things that don't follow these traditions, instead inventing new ways of doing things, are nontraditional. Nontraditional schools are different from most — maybe they don't have grades, or have classes open to students of any age. For a long time, jobs like being a doctor or a soldier or a truck driver were considered nontraditional for women, although this has changed somewhat through the years.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

nontraditional

Its curatorial methods may not force a reconsideration of how to rethink a museum, but giving audiences of nontraditional forms of art the weight of an entire institution could prove more consequential.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 9, 2026

It makes sense, given the growth of nontraditional investments, particularly among younger investors.

From Slate ● Aug. 31, 2026

By the mid-1990s, Niederhoffer, who died Aug. 4 at the age of 82, was a well-known Wall Street maverick, a hedge-fund manager whose bets were as bold, risky and nontraditional as his lifestyle and clothes.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 21, 2026

Personal-finance experts warn that nontraditional payment channels don’t always share the same consumer-safety protections as options linked to traditional banks, and can come with unexpected fees attached.

From MarketWatch ● Aug. 19, 2026

As soon as the footlights came on, however, the production’s nontraditional emphasis became clear.

From "Middlesex: A Novel" by Jeffrey Eugenides

Related Words

• futuristic
• state-of-the-art