# non-U

> English word · Adjective · IPA /nɒnˈjuː/

## Definitions
1. Not U; not characteristic of the upper classes, particularly regarding language.

## Etymology
From non- + U (“characteristic of the upper classes”), coined by British linguist Alan S. C. Ross (1907–1980) in an article in 1954, and popularized by the English journalist and writer Nancy Mitford (1904–1973).

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/non-u