nonconformal
|non-con-for-mal|
🇺🇸
/ˌnɑn.kənˈfɔr.məl/
🇬🇧
/ˌnɒn.kənˈfɔː.məl/
not preserving form / not conforming
Etymology
'nonconformal' originates from English, formed by the negative prefix 'non-' (originally from Latin 'non', meaning 'not') and the adjective 'conformal' (from Latin 'conformare'), where 'con-' meant 'together' and 'formare' meant 'to form or shape'.
'nonconformal' was created in Modern English by adding the prefix 'non-' to 'conformal' (which came into English via Middle English/Old French from Latin 'conformare'), producing the literal sense 'not conformal'.
Initially a transparent negative formation meaning 'not conformal' in the morphological sense; over time it has been used both in technical senses (e.g., maps that do not preserve angles) and in broader senses (not following norms or standards).
Meanings by Part of Speech
Adjective 1
not conformal; not preserving angles or the local shape (used in mathematics and theoretical physics to describe maps or transformations that are not angle-preserving).
The mapping is nonconformal at that singularity, so angles are not preserved there.
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Adjective 2
not conforming to established standards, norms, or conventions; deviating from what is customary or expected.
Her design decisions were intentionally nonconformal to industry norms.
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Last updated: 2025/09/28 11:30