atypical

adjective

atyp·​i·​cal (ˌ)ā-ˈti-pi-kəl How to pronounce atypical (audio)
1
: not typical : irregular, unusual
an atypical form of a disease
atypical weather for this area
2
medical : relating to or being an antipsychotic drug (such as risperidone) that tends to produce fewer adverse side effects on movement (such as dyskinesia) than previously used antipsychotic drugs (such as haloperidol)
Atypical antipsychotics work more precisely, manipulating both dopamine and serotonin and suppressing symptoms without causing so many associated problems.Jeffrey Kluger
atypicality noun
plural atypicalities
atypically adverb

Examples of atypical in a Sentence

the postal service delivered the package with atypical speed since that's an atypical response for an infant, you might want to have her hearing tested
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
There’s 20 Champagnes under $100 a bottle, plus a focus on organic, atypical wines. Tori Latham, Robb Report, 6 Nov. 2024 The dispute stems from an atypical purchase arrangement in 2021, when Lore and Rodriguez agreed to buy the Timberwolves and Lynx from Taylor for about $1.5 billion. Michael McCann, Sportico.com, 4 Nov. 2024 Baltimore also has a 27-7 record against rookie quarterbacks during coach John Harbaugh’s tenure, though at 24 years old with five years of college experience, Bo Nix is an atypical first-year quarterback. Baltimore Sun Staff, Baltimore Sun, 1 Nov. 2024 Another factor in his atypical career has been the thriving Southern California tennis community, which has nurtured generations of stars from Sampras to the Williams sisters. Connor Sheets, Los Angeles Times, 30 Oct. 2024 See all Example Sentences for atypical 

Word History

Etymology

see typical

First Known Use

1845, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of atypical was in 1845

Dictionary Entries Near atypical

Cite this Entry

“Atypical.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/atypical. Accessed 13 Dec. 2024.

Kids Definition

atypical

adjective
atyp·​i·​cal (ˈ)ā-ˈtip-i-kəl How to pronounce atypical (audio)
: not typical : irregular
atypically adverb

Medical Definition

atypical

1 of 2 adjective
atyp·​i·​cal (ˈ)ā-ˈtip-i-kəl How to pronounce atypical (audio)
1
: not typical : not like the usual or normal type
The procedure, ductal lavage, washes cells from the milk ducts, where 95 percent of breast cancers start. Tests can then be performed to look for atypical or abnormal cells.Judith Groch, The New York Times
The results of treatment of patients with gallstones are less successful in individuals with atypical pain patterns or painless dyspepsia …The Journal of the American Medical Association
In some patients with atypical dysgenesis, the smear may show slight proliferation.George L Wied et al., Compendium on Diagnostic Cytology
2
: relating to or being an antipsychotic drug (such as aripiprazole and risperidone) that tends to produce fewer adverse side effects on movement (such as akathisia or dyskinesia) than previously used antipsychotic drugs (such as haloperidol)
Atypical antipsychotics work more precisely, manipulating both dopamine and serotonin and suppressing symptoms without causing so many associated problems.Jeffrey Kluger, Time
Although studies indicated that the atypical drugs are similar to the conventional drugs in reducing psychotic symptoms and produce few neurologic effects, the evidence of their superior efficacy has been neither consistent nor robust …Jeffrey A. Lieberman et al., The New England Journal of Medicine
atypically adverb
Atypically depressed patients often show a different clinical picture from those with "classical" major depression. Ronald Pies, The New York Times

atypical

2 of 2 noun
: an atypical antipsychotic drug (see atypical entry 1 sense 2)
Her 24-year-old daughter, diagnosed with schizophrenia in 1993, had problems with two types of atypicals before a third proved successful.Stephaan Harris, USA Today

More from Merriam-Webster on atypical

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