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Nonlinear vs Achronological - What's the difference?

nonlinear | achronological |

As adjectives the difference between nonlinear and achronological

is that nonlinear is (of a set of points) not lying on a straight line while achronological is (chiefly|literature|film) not chronological; proceeding through time in a nonlinear fashion.

nonlinear

English

Alternative forms

* non-linear

Adjective

(-)
  • (of a set of points) not lying on a straight line
  • (chemistry, of a molecule) whose atoms do not lie in a straight line
  • (mathematics, of a function) having a product of independent variables, or a variable with an exponent not equal to one
  • (of a system) whose output is not directly proportional to its input
  • erratic and unpredictable; tending to jump back and forth
    • a film with a nonlinear plot

    Antonyms

    * linear

    Derived terms

    * nonlinearity

    achronological

    English

    Adjective

    (-)
  • (chiefly, literature, film) Not chronological; proceeding through time in a nonlinear fashion
  • * {{quote-news, year=1988, date=October 14, author=Jonathan Rosenbaum, title=Muddled Americans, work=Chicago Reader citation
    • , passage=Another reason was the apparently inspired pairing of screenwriter Dennis Potter and director Nicolas Roeg, two dark poets of psychic subtexts and achronological memory flashes. }}
  • * {{quote-news, year=2003, date=September 26, author=Martha Bayne, title=Things Are Going Very Well for Audrey Niffenegger, work=Chicago Reader citation
    • , passage=The Time Traveler's Wife tracks the achronological course of their lifelong love affair. }}

    Derived terms

    * achronologically