atypical

adjective

atyp·​i·​cal (ˌ)ā-ˈti-pi-kəl How to pronounce atypical (audio)
1
: not typical : irregular, unusual
an atypical form of a disease
atypical weather for this area
2
medical : relating to or being an antipsychotic drug (such as risperidone) that tends to produce fewer adverse side effects on movement (such as dyskinesia) than previously used antipsychotic drugs (such as haloperidol)
Atypical antipsychotics work more precisely, manipulating both dopamine and serotonin and suppressing symptoms without causing so many associated problems.Jeffrey Kluger
atypicality noun
plural atypicalities
atypically adverb

Examples of atypical in a Sentence

the postal service delivered the package with atypical speed since that's an atypical response for an infant, you might want to have her hearing tested
Recent Examples on the Web Visiting scientists interrupted the atypical farm animal and captured it. Aspen Pflughoeft, Miami Herald, 29 Feb. 2024 This winter's atypical lack of snow unfortunately makes litter on the street more noticeable than usual. Claire Reid, Journal Sentinel, 26 Feb. 2024 Baptiste, 26, looked stunning in a strapless black-and-white gown with an Old Hollywood inspired updo, while Evans, 42, went for an atypical red suit from Dolce & Gabbana for the black-tie event. Emily Tannenbaum, Glamour, 11 Mar. 2024 The cause was atypical Parkinson’s disease, according to his wife, Colleen (Hanner) Truly. Richard Sandomir, New York Times, 7 Mar. 2024 By advancing the Republican Garvey to November’s general election, voters set up a conventional match between candidates of opposing parties and philosophies, rather than an atypical Democrat-on-Democrat runoff turning on personal temperament and differences of political degree. Mark Z. Barabak, Los Angeles Times, 6 Mar. 2024 While there can be atypical deployments using smaller, single-purpose data centers—the providers who are looking at exascale solutions understand the importance of working with local, regional and national governments when building these components of our global digital infrastructure and economy. Phillip Marangella, Forbes, 29 Feb. 2024 The siblings took center stage at the Venice Film Festival this year, leaping up after the film’s screening to jokingly conduct the bombastic standing ovation that greeted the film’s world premiere, imitating their father’s atypical and vibrant conducting style. Boris Sollazzo, The Hollywood Reporter, 24 Dec. 2023 But then, such angst is not atypical for Democrats in an election year. Michael Smolens, San Diego Union-Tribune, 9 Feb. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'atypical.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

see typical

First Known Use

1845, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of atypical was in 1845

Dictionary Entries Near atypical

Cite this Entry

“Atypical.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/atypical. Accessed 28 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

atypical

adjective
atyp·​i·​cal (ˈ)ā-ˈtip-i-kəl How to pronounce atypical (audio)
: not typical : irregular
atypically adverb

Medical Definition

atypical

1 of 2 adjective
atyp·​i·​cal (ˈ)ā-ˈtip-i-kəl How to pronounce atypical (audio)
1
: not typical : not like the usual or normal type
The procedure, ductal lavage, washes cells from the milk ducts, where 95 percent of breast cancers start. Tests can then be performed to look for atypical or abnormal cells.Judith Groch, The New York Times
The results of treatment of patients with gallstones are less successful in individuals with atypical pain patterns or painless dyspepsia …The Journal of the American Medical Association
In some patients with atypical dysgenesis, the smear may show slight proliferation.George L Wied et al., Compendium on Diagnostic Cytology
2
: relating to or being an antipsychotic drug (such as aripiprazole and risperidone) that tends to produce fewer adverse side effects on movement (such as akathisia or dyskinesia) than previously used antipsychotic drugs (such as haloperidol)
Atypical antipsychotics work more precisely, manipulating both dopamine and serotonin and suppressing symptoms without causing so many associated problems.Jeffrey Kluger, Time
Although studies indicated that the atypical drugs are similar to the conventional drugs in reducing psychotic symptoms and produce few neurologic effects, the evidence of their superior efficacy has been neither consistent nor robust …Jeffrey A. Lieberman et al., The New England Journal of Medicine
atypically adverb
Atypically depressed patients often show a different clinical picture from those with "classical" major depression. Ronald Pies, The New York Times

atypical

2 of 2 noun
: an atypical antipsychotic drug (see atypical entry 1 sense 2)
Her 24-year-old daughter, diagnosed with schizophrenia in 1993, had problems with two types of atypicals before a third proved successful.Stephaan Harris, USA Today

More from Merriam-Webster on atypical

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