nonclassical

[ non-klas-i-kuhl ]

adjective

1. not classical or contrary to classical precepts.
2. Physics. pertaining to a law, theory, or observation that cannot be expressed or understood in terms of Newtonian physics.

Other Words From

• non·classi·cal·ly adverb

Word History and Origins

Origin of nonclassical¹

First recorded in 1925–30; non- + classical

Example Sentences

Her longtime collaborator and “Jaguar II” producer Dernst Emile II, known as D’Mile, was nominated for producer of the year, nonclassical, for the second year in a row.

From New York Times

And the engineers who worked on “Chloë and the Next 20th Century,” the latest album from onetime Seattleite and current Sub Pop star Father John Misty, are up for best engineered album, nonclassical.

From Seattle Times

The music shifted to nonclassical tunes as the group danced to Gloria Gaynor’s “I Will Survive,” as colorful lights swept the room.

From Los Angeles Times

And nonclassical sounds find their way in — little reminders of a world outside the concert hall and traces of the humanity often left behind in the commandeering conductor’s wake.

From Washington Post

It was an unexpected boom: in the decades prior, nonclassical music documentaries had received only scattered nominations.

From New York Times