non-mainstream
|non-main-stream|
🇺🇸
/ˌnɑnˈmeɪnstriːm/
🇬🇧
/ˌnɒnˈmeɪnstriːm/
outside the dominant trend
Etymology
'non-mainstream' is formed by the negative prefix 'non-' (from Latin 'non', meaning 'not') attached to 'mainstream' (a compound of 'main' + 'stream'). 'Main' traces to Old English 'mægen' (strength, power) and 'stream' to Old English 'stream' (a current or flow).
'mainstream' arose in English in the late 19th to early 20th century from the literal phrase 'main stream' (the principal current) and developed figurative senses for prevailing trends; the negated form 'non-mainstream' was formed thereafter (20th century) to label things outside that prevailing trend.
Originally 'mainstream' referred to a principal physical current; over time it came to mean the dominant cultural, social, or ideological trend. 'Non-mainstream' originally meant 'not part of the principal current' and has kept that negated, figurative sense as 'outside the dominant trend.'
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
a person, group, work, or idea that exists outside the mainstream; the alternative sector or culture itself.
The festival showcases the best of the non-mainstream from around the region.
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Adjective 1
not part of the dominant or prevailing trend, culture, or opinion; unconventional or alternative.
She prefers non-mainstream films rather than big commercial blockbusters.
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Last updated: 2025/11/16 13:14