nonlinearly

N1O1N1L1I1N1E1A1R1L1Y4

adverb

In a nonlinear fashion; often specifically exponentially.

Opposite
linearly
OriginProto-Germanic *līką ← Proto-Indo-European *leyg- ← English nonlinear →
UncommonScrabble 14
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Meanings

adverbnonlinearly (not comparable)
  1. not comparablemathematicsIn a nonlinear fashion; often specifically exponentially.

    The probability of a mistake rises nonlinearly with the number of steps.

    1996, Craig Loehle, Thinking Strategically, →ISBN, page 56

    Antonyms: linearly

Synonyms & antonyms

adverbIn a nonlinear fashion; often specifically exponentially.

Opposite
linearly

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
  24. Proto-Indo-European*leyg-
  25. Proto-Germanic*līką
  26. Englishnonlinearly

From nonlinear + -ly.

Full word history & related roots →
Cite this entry
APA

nonlinearly. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/nonlinearly

MLA

“nonlinearly.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/nonlinearly. Accessed November 3, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “nonlinearly,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/nonlinearly.

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