nontraditional
Britishadjective
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
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
"This is a nontraditional, or non-canonical, role for MYC," Sears said.
From Science Daily • May 17, 2026
But with the arrival of their new baby, the two found that James’ nontraditional hours can save them money.
From MarketWatch • May 13, 2026
Nonprofits, academics and other nontraditional developers have generated evidence for some new uses of generic drugs, but there’s no clear path for them to secure label updates.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 13, 2026
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
We would see how nontraditional they were prepared to be.
From "Geeks: How Two Lost Boys Rode the Internet Out of Idaho" by Jon Katz
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
