Non-linear or nonlinear?
non-linear is an adjective meaning “Alternative form of nonlinear”; nonlinear is an adjective meaning “Of a set of points, not lying on a straight line”. non-linear is written with a hyphen and nonlinear as one word; they are used differently.
What is the difference between non-linear and nonlinear?
| non-linear | nonlinear | |
|---|---|---|
| Part of speech | adjective | adjective |
| Meaning | Alternative form of nonlinear | Of a set of points, not lying on a straight line Of a molecule, whose atoms do not lie in a straight line |
| Example | none recorded | a film with a nonlinear plot |
| Pronunciation | not recorded | not recorded |
| In writing | not counted (the list counts single words) | 1.9 times per million words |
Sources: non-linear and nonlinear in the English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0); written frequency: wordfreq 3.1 (a 2021 snapshot of Wikipedia, subtitles, news, books, web text and social media).
Every current meaning of non-linear and nonlinear
non-linear
- 1
Alternative form of nonlinear
nonlinear
- 1
Of a set of points, not lying on a straight line
- 2
Of a molecule, whose atoms do not lie in a straight line
- 3
Of a function, having a product of independent variables, or a variable with an exponent not equal to one
- 4
Of a system, whose output is not directly proportional to its input
- 5
Erratic and unpredictable; tending to jump back and forth
a film with a nonlinear plot
Source: the English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0); obsolete, archaic, dialect and rare senses left out.
Which is more common, non-linear or nonlinear?
non-linear is a phrase, which the list of single words does not count; nonlinear 1.9 times per million words.
Source: written frequency: wordfreq 3.1 (a 2021 snapshot of Wikipedia, subtitles, news, books, web text and social media).