nonrealistic
|non-re-al-is-tic|
🇺🇸
/nɑnriəˈlɪstɪk/
🇬🇧
/nɒnriːəˈlɪstɪk/
not true to life / lacking realism
Etymology
'nonrealistic' is formed by the prefix 'non-' (meaning 'not') attached to 'realistic'. 'Non-' comes from Latin 'non' meaning 'not', and 'realistic' comes from 'real' + the suffix '-istic'.
'real' originates from Latin 'realis' meaning 'actual' and passed into Middle French as 'réel' and then into English; the adjective 'realistic' was formed in English in the 19th century by adding '-istic' to 'real'. The compound 'nonrealistic' is a modern negated formation using the productive prefix 'non-'.
Initially 'real' meant 'actual' or 'existing', and over time derivatives like 'realistic' came to mean 'true to life' or 'representing reality'; 'nonrealistic' now means 'not true to life' or 'not aiming for realism'.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Adjective 1
not realistic; not accurately representing real life or facts.
The movie's nonrealistic depiction of history upset some viewers.
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Adjective 2
intentionally stylized or fanciful rather than aiming for realism (often used in art, literature, or design).
The illustrator chose a nonrealistic style to emphasize the story's dreamlike mood.
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Last updated: 2025/11/18 16:48