nonlinear

N1O1N1L1I1N1E1A1R1

adjective

Of a set of points, not lying on a straight line.

Opposite
linear
OriginEnglish linear ← Latin līneāris ← Proto-Indo-European *h₂élisder.? →
CommonScrabble 9
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Meanings

adjectivenonlinear (not comparable)

alternative non-linear

  1. not comparableOf a set of points, not lying on a straight line.

    Antonyms: linear

  2. not comparablechemistryOf a molecule, whose atoms do not lie in a straight line.
  3. not comparablemathematicsOf a function, having a product of independent variables, or a variable with an exponent not equal to one.
  4. not comparableOf a system, whose output is not directly proportional to its input.
  5. not comparableErratic and unpredictable; tending to jump back and forth.

    a film with a nonlinear plot

Synonyms & antonyms

adjectiveOf a set of points, not lying on a straight line.

Opposite
linear

More synonyms by meaning

adjectivedesignating or involving an equation whose terms are not of the first degree

Opposite
linear

Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.

Origin

  1. Proto-Indo-European*né
  2. Proto-Germanic*ne
  3. Proto-Indo-European*ís?
  4. Proto-Indo-European*h₁óynos
  5. Proto-Germanic*ainaz
  6. Proto-Germanic*nainaz
  7. Proto-West Germanic*nain
  8. Old Englishnān
  9. Middle Englishnon
  10. Old Englishnān
  11. Old Englishnān-
  12. Middle Englishnon-
  13. Englishnon-
  14. Proto-Indo-European*līnom
  15. Proto-Italic*līnom
  16. Latinlīnum
  17. Latinlīneus
  18. Latinlīnea
  19. Proto-Indo-European*h₂el-
  20. Proto-Indo-European*h₂élisder.?
  21. Latinlīneāris
  22. Englishlinear
  23. Englishnonlinear

From non- + linear.

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Chinese Mandarin 非線性 /非线性
  • 非線性 /非线性 (fēixiànxìng)of a set of points: not lying on a straight line
Czech nelineární, nelineární
  • nelineárnímathematics, of a function
  • nelineárníof a system: whose output is not directly proportional to its input
Finnish epälineaarinen, epälineaarinen
  • epälineaarinenof a set of points: not lying on a straight line
  • epälineaarinenof a system: whose output is not directly proportional to its input
French non-linéaire
  • non-linéaireof a system: whose output is not directly proportional to its input
German nicht linear, nichtlinear
  • nicht linearof a set of points: not lying on a straight line
  • nichtlinearof a set of points: not lying on a straight line
  • nicht linearmathematics, of a function
  • nichtlinearmathematics, of a function
  • nicht linearof a system: whose output is not directly proportional to its input
  • nichtlinearof a system: whose output is not directly proportional to its input
  • nicht linearerratic and unpredictable
  • nichtlinearerratic and unpredictable
  • nicht linearchemistry, of molecules
  • nichtlinearchemistry, of molecules
Hindi अरैखिक, अरेखीय
  • अरैखिक (araikhik)of a set of points: not lying on a straight line
  • अरेखीय (arekhīya)of a set of points: not lying on a straight line
Indonesian nirlanjar, tak lanjar
  • nirlanjarmathematics, of a function
  • tak lanjarmathematics, of a function
Italian non lineare, non lineare
  • non lineareof a set of points: not lying on a straight line
  • non lineareof a system: whose output is not directly proportional to its input
Japanese 非線形
  • 非線形 (hisenkei)of a system: whose output is not directly proportional to its input
Korean 비선형
  • 비선형 (biseonhyeong)of a system: whose output is not directly proportional to its input
Romanian neliniar, neliniar
  • neliniarof a set of points: not lying on a straight line
  • neliniarof a system: whose output is not directly proportional to its input
Russian нелине́йный
  • нелине́йный (nelinéjnyj)of a set of points: not lying on a straight line
Spanish no lineal
  • no linealof a system: whose output is not directly proportional to its input
Swedish icke-linjär
  • icke-linjärof a system: whose output is not directly proportional to its input
Cite this entry
APA

nonlinear. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/nonlinear

MLA

“nonlinear.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/nonlinear. Accessed November 2, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “nonlinear,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/nonlinear.

Source: nonlinear on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.