Definitions

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.

  • noun One who does not conform to, or refuses to be bound by, accepted beliefs, customs, or practices.
  • noun A member of a Protestant church not observing the doctrines, usage, or polity of a national or established church, especially the Church of England.

from The Century Dictionary.

  • noun One who does not conform to some law or usage, especially to some ecclesiastical law.
  • noun Specifically, in English history, one of those clergymen who refused to subscribe the Act of Uniformity passed in 1662, demanding “assent and consent” to everything contained in the Book of Common Prayer, and by extension any one who refuses to conform to the order and liturgy of the Church of England. See dissenter, 2.
  • noun In entomology, the noctuid moth Xylina zinckeni: an English collectors' name, applied in distinction from X. Conformis.

from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.

  • noun One who does not conform to an established church; especially, one who does not conform to the established church of England; a dissenter.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • noun Someone who does not conform to accepted beliefs, customs or practices.
  • adjective Not conforming to established customs etc.

from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.

  • adjective not conforming to some norm or socially approved pattern of behavior or thought
  • noun someone who refuses to conform to established standards of conduct
  • noun a Protestant in England who is not a member of the Church of England
  • adjective not conforming to established customs or doctrines especially in religion

Etymologies

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Examples

  • Apparently, the way to be coolly nonconformist is strict conformity to a nonconformist trope?

    EXTRALIFE – By Scott Johnson - Best email in a while 2008

  • Now that the real West has its own glass office towers, drive-time radio shows, and Olive Gardens, the desire to believe in nonconformist savages, noble or not, may be even stronger.

    The Heartland of Darkness 2002

  • Now that the real West has its own glass office towers, drive-time radio shows, and Olive Gardens, the desire to believe in nonconformist savages, noble or not, may be even stronger.

    The Heartland of Darkness 2002

  • Traditionalists argue that the so-called nonconformist has become the boring norm, and that the nominee or wedding guest who respects the rules has as many ways of expressing his individuality as the one who flouts them.

    Men In Black Darrell Hartman 2011

  • An nonconformist can be valiant, effective and pleasant, provided that he hasn't fallen into the conformism of being nonconformist, which is the worst kind of conformism.

    Saying The Right Thing 2006

  • But the Korean company thinks the Genesis will attract a class of "nonconformist" consumers who want luxury cars but are not concerned about the brand they drive, said John Krafcik, vice president of product development.

    Hyundai Gambles 2008

  • I am a person who is kind of nonconformist in emotions.

    Oregon Woman Convicted of Acting Insufficiently Traumatized 2005

  • About the Author: Isaac Watts (1674-1748) was the son of a "nonconformist".

    The Earth Times Online Newspaper 2010

  • Matthew Henry (1662-1714), "nonconformist" Presbyterian minister in England, and author of

    Conservapedia - Recent changes [en] DeliaD 2010

  • He's a sort of a contrarian ( 'nonconformist' is overworked, na?).

    The Times of India 2010

Comments

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  • Why do you have to be a nonconformist like everybody else? -- James Thurber

    February 22, 2008