Nonbotanical

Nonbotanical is an adjective used to describe something that is not related to botany, the scientific study of plants. It denotes topics, objects, or disciplines that do not involve plant biology, plant taxonomy, or horticultural practice. The term is typically used to contrast with botanical, signaling that the subject lies outside plant science or plant-focused contexts.

Etymology and form: the word is built from the prefix non- meaning “not” and botanical, which derives from Latin botanicus and Greek botanikos. Spelling varies by style guide; it can appear as nonbotanical or non-botanical, with hyphenation common in contexts aiming for clarity.

Usage: nonbotanical is relatively uncommon outside specialized writing. It may appear in conference programs, catalogs, or scholarly articles to indicate that a discussion, study, or collection excludes plant-related material. In information science and library cataloging, it can help distinguish items that are not about plants from botanical works.

Relation to other terms: botanical relates to plants and plant science, while nonbotanical designates the absence of plant-related content. The boundary between nonbotanical and botanical contexts can be contextual and subjective, so the term is used with attention to audience and discipline.

See also: botany, botanical, non-botany, taxonomy.