Standard Lemma guide

non-word

noun · 2 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

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No pronunciation record was provided for this word.

1

noun

Meaning 1

Any sequence of sounds or letters which is not considered to be a word, whether through an accidental gap (for example, phextapher-styphren) or through a systematic gap (for example, fssstpklyitnbkdv).

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Topics: human-sciences, linguistics, sciences

Examples

  • This linguistics textbook, like many others, precedes nonwords with an asterisk; for example, *narbletome.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: word

2

noun

Meaning 2

Any term that is not among the words of a language as those have often traditionally been defined by nonlinguists (for example, having syllables, and having come from centuries-old predecessor words): thus, an abbreviation, acronym, initialism, alphanumeric symbol, number written in digits (Arabic numerals 0 to 9), or logographic symbol.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: informal

Examples

  • In their glossary, they were using a convention where the words were in blue font and the abbreviations and other nonwords were in purple font.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: word

History

Etymology

From non- + word.

Across languages

Translations

2 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Danish: nonord — non-word
  • Polish: niesłowo — non-word