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

WindBorne also plans to use live flight data to allow its weather balloons to autonomously avoid planes, even if planes are flying at a nonstandard altitude, according to the company’s statement. —Lauren Penington, Denver Post, 21 Oct. 2025

Take slang, the informal nonstandard language that fills our world. —Literary Hub, 20 Oct. 2025

The keyboard consists of two freestanding halves with a nonstandard key layout. —PC Magazine, 13 Oct. 2025

The lossy capture cards also often had trouble correctly interpreting the multiple streams of overlapping video data that could be arranged in nonstandard ways on a LaserActive disc. —Kyle Orland, ArsTechnica, 2 Sep. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1870, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for nonstandard

• meandered
• substandard
• slandered
• standard

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