adj · 3 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
Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.
General-American:/ʌnˈɔɹθədɑks/
Received-Pronunciation:/ʌnˈɔːθədɒks/
Southern-England:Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
CMU ARPABET:AH0 N AO1 R TH AH0 D AA2 K S
Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.
1
adj
Meaning 1
Unusual, unconventional, or idiosyncratic.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: heterodox, inorthodox, nonorthodox
Antonyms: orthodox
2
adjective
Meaning 2
breaking with convention or tradition
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Examples
an unorthodox lifestyle
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: orthodox
3
adjective satellite
Meaning 3
independent in behavior or thought
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Examples
she led a somewhat irregular private life
maverick politicians
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: irregular, maverick
Antonyms: none provided
History
Etymology
Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *né Proto-Indo-European *n̥- Proto-Germanic *un- Proto-West Germanic *un- Old English un- Middle English un- English un- English orthodox English unorthodox From un- + orthodox.
Across languages
Translations
33 source translations are retained for this English entry.
Arabic:
غير تقليدي
(ghayr taqlidiin)
— unusual, unconventional, or idiosyncratic
Bulgarian:
необикновен
(neobiknoven)
— unusual, unconventional, or idiosyncratic
Bulgarian:
особен
(osoben)
— unusual, unconventional, or idiosyncratic
Catalan:
heterodox
— unusual, unconventional, or idiosyncratic
Czech:
neortodoxní
— unusual, unconventional, or idiosyncratic
Danish:
uortodoks
— unusual, unconventional, or idiosyncratic
Dutch:
onorthodox
— unusual, unconventional, or idiosyncratic
Finnish:
epäortodoksinen
— unusual, unconventional, or idiosyncratic
French:
hétérodoxe
— unusual, unconventional, or idiosyncratic
French:
non-conformiste
— unusual, unconventional, or idiosyncratic
Galician:
non ortodoxo
— unusual, unconventional, or idiosyncratic
German:
unorthodox
— unusual, unconventional, or idiosyncratic
Greek:
ανορθόδοξος
(anorthódoxos)
— unusual, unconventional, or idiosyncratic
Hindi:
अपरंपरागत
(apramprāgat)
— unusual, unconventional, or idiosyncratic
Hungarian:
heterodox
— unusual, unconventional, or idiosyncratic
Italian:
inusuale
— unusual, unconventional, or idiosyncratic
Italian:
poco convenzionale
— unusual, unconventional, or idiosyncratic
Italian:
poco ortodosso
— unusual, unconventional, or idiosyncratic
Italian:
peculiare
— unusual, unconventional, or idiosyncratic
Italian:
eccentrico
— unusual, unconventional, or idiosyncratic
Latin:
abnōrmis
— unusual, unconventional, or idiosyncratic
Māori:
korokē
— unusual, unconventional, or idiosyncratic
Norwegian:
uortodoks
— unusual, unconventional, or idiosyncratic
Polish:
nieszablonowy
— unusual, unconventional, or idiosyncratic
Portuguese:
pouco ortodoxo
— unusual, unconventional, or idiosyncratic
Romanian:
neortodox
— unusual, unconventional, or idiosyncratic
Romanian:
neconvențional
— unusual, unconventional, or idiosyncratic
Russian:
неортодоксальный
(neortodoksalʹnyj)
— unusual, unconventional, or idiosyncratic
Spanish:
heterodoxo
— unusual, unconventional, or idiosyncratic
Swedish:
oortodox
— unusual, unconventional, or idiosyncratic
Thai:
แหวกแนว
— unusual, unconventional, or idiosyncratic
Turkish:
gelenek dışı
— unusual, unconventional, or idiosyncratic
Turkish:
alışılmamış
— unusual, unconventional, or idiosyncratic