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

Scientists believe the Bay may act as an emergency feeding stop for whales in poor condition, as unusually thin individuals have been observed foraging in other nontraditional habitats as well.

From Science Daily • Apr. 13, 2026

In the meantime, the council outlawed discrimination against polyamorous people and others in nontraditional family structures, such as multigenerational immigrant households.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 18, 2026

Decades of data show that nontraditional activities actually make banks safer because they add fee revenue and make portfolios more diverse.

From Barron's • Dec. 19, 2025

But Guthrie said in an interview that viewers may need to be reminded of NBC’s journalistic values as the media landscape becomes more fragmented and populated with nontraditional news sources.

From Los Angeles Times • Dec. 4, 2025

Neither do I speak to turtles or greet friends with a nontraditional handshake.

From "Me Talk Pretty One Day" by David Sedaris

Related Words

• futuristic
• state-of-the-art