nonlinear
nonlinear — adjective
1. not forming or following a straight line or a set of connected lines; with turns
not forming or following a straight line or a set of connected lines; with turns and curves instead of a direct path.
Kwame traced a nonlinear route through the narrow streets of the old city.
nonlinear route — describes a curving path
The river's nonlinear course made the journey twice as long as expected.
Adina designed a nonlinear garden path that winds between the flower beds.
A nonlinear arrangement of desks helped students see each other more easily.
文法句型
nonlinear + noun
be + nonlinear
用法筆記
This physical sense is less common than the abstract or mathematical uses. It often describes paths, routes, shapes, or layouts that are intentionally curved or irregular.
2. not presented or happening in a clear time‑based or logical order; jumping betwe
not presented or happening in a clear time‑based or logical order; jumping between different points in time or different topics.
The film uses a nonlinear timeline, moving between the 1980s and the present day.
nonlinear timeline — jumps between time periods
Lucía's nonlinear thoughts during the meeting jumped from budgets to staffing to office design.
Many children's dreams follow a nonlinear pattern that mixes real and imaginary events.
The Japanese director became famous for her nonlinear storytelling in award‑winning films.
Rachid wrote a nonlinear novel with chapters that alternate between three different decades.
- non‑sequential
more direct synonym, commonly used in computing and storytelling contexts
- disjointed
has a negative connotation of confusion; nonlinear can be a deliberate creative choice
- fragmented
suggests broken pieces; stronger sense of incompleteness than nonlinear
- sequential
following a logical or time‑based order
- chronological
arranged in the order events actually happened
文法句型
nonlinear + noun
be + nonlinear
用法筆記
This sense is very common in literary and film criticism. It describes narratives, timelines, or thought processes that deliberately avoid a straight chronological sequence.
常見錯誤
3. describing a connection between two things where a change in one does not cause
describing a connection between two things where a change in one does not cause a proportional or equal change in the other, so their relationship is complex rather than simple.
Population growth and food supply often have a nonlinear relationship in developing countries.
nonlinear relationship — change is not proportional
Talia studied the nonlinear effects of temperature on the growth of rice plants.
The company's profits showed a nonlinear rise after the marketing campaign began.
The relationship between study hours and exam scores is rarely linear — it is usually nonlinear.
Earthquake magnitude follows a nonlinear scale where each step is ten times stronger.
- disproportionate
emphasises the unequal ratio; more negative in tone
- complex
broader term; nonlinear relationships are one kind of complex relationship
- proportional
changing at the same rate
- linear
changing by a fixed ratio
文法句型
nonlinear + noun
be + nonlinear
用法筆記
Frequently used in economics, biology, and social sciences to describe systems where simple cause‑and‑effect does not apply. Often appears paired with its opposite: 'linear vs. nonlinear'.
常見錯誤
4. relating to a mathematical equation or function whose graph forms a curve rather
relating to a mathematical equation or function whose graph forms a curve rather than a straight line, typically because the variables are not directly proportional.
Karim solved a nonlinear equation to calculate the satellite's orbit around Earth.
nonlinear equation — mathematical expression that curves on a graph
Nonlinear functions produce curves on a graph, while linear ones produce straight lines.
nonlinear functions … curves — contrast with linear = straight lines
The physics students plotted a nonlinear model to predict the pendulum's motion.
Nicholas used a nonlinear system of equations to describe weather patterns.
- curvilinear
more formal synonym used mainly in geometry and statistics
- polynomial
a specific type of nonlinear function; not all nonlinear functions are polynomial
- linear
forming a straight line on a graph
- proportional
directly proportional relationship between variables
文法句型
nonlinear + noun
be + nonlinear
用法筆記
Standard term in mathematics and physics. The opposite — 'linear' — is much more common in everyday language. In math contexts, 'nonlinear' is often used as a technical classifier rather than a descriptive adjective.
5. relating to a digital‑media editing technique that lets you go straight to any p
relating to a digital‑media editing technique that lets you go straight to any part of a file and change it, without working through the file from start to finish.
Rin edited the video using nonlinear software on her laptop.
nonlinear software — digital editing without fixed order
Nonlinear editing allows you to change the middle scene without touching the beginning.
The sound engineer preferred nonlinear tools when mixing the podcast episodes.
Most modern video editors use a nonlinear workflow to save time on large projects.
- random‑access
very close synonym; emphasises the ability to reach any point without sequential work
- digital
broader term; not all digital editing is nonlinear, though most modern tools are
- linear
working through a file in fixed order
- tape‑based
refers to older linear editing methods using physical tape
文法句型
nonlinear + noun
用法筆記
This sense applies almost exclusively to digital media production. 'Nonlinear editing' (often abbreviated NLE) is the standard term in the film and video industry. The opposite is 'linear editing,' which involved working through tape in sequence.