non-figural
|non-fig-u-ral|
🇺🇸
/nɑnˈfɪɡjərəl/
🇬🇧
/nɒnˈfɪɡjʊərəl/
not in the form of a figure; not figurative
Etymology
'non-figural' originates from Latin, specifically the prefix 'non' (from Latin 'non') meaning 'not', combined with 'figural' ultimately from Latin 'figura' meaning 'form' or 'shape'.
'figural' changed from Medieval Latin word 'figuralis' (from 'figura') through Old French 'figure' and Middle English usage into modern English 'figural', and later the negative prefix 'non-' was attached to form 'non-figural'.
Initially, 'figural' meant 'pertaining to a form or figure'; over time 'figural' came to be used in arts and language to mean 'representational' or 'figurative', and 'non-figural' evolved to mean 'not figurative' or 'not representational'.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Adjective 1
not figurative; not using or expressed by metaphor or other figures of speech; literal rather than symbolic.
His description was deliberately non-figural, avoiding metaphor and telling events plainly.
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Adjective 2
not represented by a figure or depiction; nonrepresentational (often used of art or diagrams).
The gallery's new installation is non-figural, focusing on texture and space rather than recognizable forms.
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Last updated: 2025/09/09 09:10