anticlassical
|an-ti-clas-si-cal|
/ˌæn.tiˈklæs.ɪ.kəl/
against classical style
Etymology
'anticlassical' originates from modern English, formed by the Greek prefix 'anti-' (from Ancient Greek 'ἀντί') combined with the adjective 'classical' (from Latin 'classicus'), where 'anti-' meant 'against' and 'classicus' related to 'of a class'.
'anticlassical' developed as a compound in Modern English by joining 'anti-' + 'classical'. The element 'classical' entered English via Middle French 'classique' from Latin 'classicus', which in turn comes from 'classis'.
Initially built simply as 'against classical (forms)', the word's oppositional sense has persisted, but its application has broadened to various domains (art, literature, music, theory) and can signal either outright rejection or deliberate revision of classical norms.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Adjective 1
opposed to or rejecting the principles, styles, or conventions associated with classical (especially traditional or canonical) forms in art, literature, music, or thought; nonclassical or anti-classical in approach.
The critic praised the author's anticlassical narrative techniques that deliberately broke traditional plot structures.
Synonyms
Antonyms
Last updated: 2025/08/29 06:53