non-Latin
|non-lat-in|
🇺🇸
/nɑnˈlætɪn/
🇬🇧
/nɒnˈlætɪn/
not Latin / not using Latin script
Etymology
'non-Latin' is formed in English by the prefix 'non-' (meaning 'not') attached to 'Latin' (from Latin 'Latinus').
'non-' comes from Latin 'non' (meaning 'not') and entered English usage via Old French and Middle English; 'Latin' comes from Latin 'Latinus', from Latium (a region of central Italy), became Old French 'latin' and Middle English 'latin', and then modern English 'Latin'; the compound 'non-Latin' is a productive modern English formation combining these elements.
The components originally meant 'not' and 'of Latium / relating to the Latins'; combined in modern English they mean 'not Latin' (either linguistically, culturally, or script-wise), a straightforward negation that has retained its basic sense.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Adjective 1
not derived from or related to the Latin language or Latin culture; not Romance (in linguistic or cultural sense).
Many African and Asian languages are non-Latin in origin.
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Adjective 2
not using the Latin alphabet or Latin script; written in a different writing system.
The document was available in both Latin and non-Latin scripts.
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Antonyms
Last updated: 2025/10/31 13:09