nonstandard

adjective

non·​stan·​dard ˌnän-ˈstan-dərd 

1

: not standard

2

: not conforming in pronunciation, grammatical construction, idiom, or word choice to the usage generally characteristic of educated native speakers of a language compare substandard

Examples of nonstandard in a Sentence

He works nonstandard hours so that he can pick his kids up from school.

Recent Examples on the Web

And Telegram itself uses standard crypto algorithms developed and certified by US government agencies, just in nonstandard ways. —Andy Greenberg, WIRED, 27 Jan. 2021

Despite these guidelines, healthcare providers still take measurements in nonstandard positions — with the arm resting on a patient’s lap or hanging at their side, according to study authors. —Don Rauf, EverydayHealth.com, 10 Oct. 2024

Reported Earnings Growth Kirkpatrick uses a nonstandard calculation for earnings growth, which compares operating earnings over the last four fiscal quarters to total operating earnings for the four-quarter period ending one quarter earlier. —Charles Rotblut, Forbes, 18 Sep. 2024

Most of the energy has focused on the aging end of things, using barrels made from nonstandard woods, for example, or creative cask finishes. —Jonah Flicker, Robb Report, 16 June 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1870, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

nonstandard

adjective

non·​stan·​dard (ˈ)nän-ˈstan-dərd 

1

: not standard

2

: not agreeing in pronunciation, grammatical construction, idiom, or choice of word with the usage generally characteristic of educated native speakers of the language