What does nonrestrictive mean?
Nonrestrictive is chiefly a grammatical term for wording that adds parenthetical or supplementary detail without identifying or limiting the person or thing being discussed. In English, a nonrestrictive relative clause, such as “Anna, who lives in Leeds, is visiting,” normally takes commas and can be removed without changing which Anna is intended. This distinguishes it from a restrictive clause, as in “Anna who lives in Leeds is visiting,” where the relative clause identifies one Anna and is not normally comma-separated. The adjective can also be used more generally to mean not limiting or constraining, though that sense is much less common in everyday use. Nonrestrictive matters because punctuation can change meaning: commas signal additional information, while restrictive wording narrows a reference. Grammatical guides often call the same feature “nondefining,” but nonrestrictive remains a standard technical term in British and American English.
adjectiveA nonrestrictive modifier or clause supplies supplementary information about a referent rather than identifying or limiting it; in English, such clauses are usually set off by commas. More broadly, nonrestrictive means not imposing a restriction or limitation.
- In grammar, adding information about a referent without identifying or limiting it, as in a nonrestrictive relative clause or modifier.
- More generally, not imposing a restriction, limitation, or constraint.
"The clause “which was written by a local historian” is nonrestrictive because it provides additional information about the exhibit."
"“My brother, who lives in Toronto, is an architect” contains a nonrestrictive clause."
"The new regulations are nonrestrictive because they do not limit how the facilities may be used."
A comma can be a spotlight: nonrestrictive clauses add information, while restrictive clauses change who or what you are talking about.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does nonrestrictive come from?
Nonrestrictive is an English compound combining the prefix non-, meaning “not,” with restrictive, an adjective borrowed from Latin restrictivus, meaning “restricting.” Restrictive ultimately derives from Latin restringere, “bind fast,” formed from re-, meaning “back” or “again,” and stringere, “draw tight.” The related words restriction and restricted continue this same Latin root.
Related word forms
How nonrestrictive is actually used
Primarily formal or technical terminology. In grammatical description, it is widespread in both British and American English and is often synonymous with “nondefining”; the broader sense meaning “not restrictive” is comparatively uncommon.
Easily confused with nonrestrictive
A restrictive clause identifies or limits the referent and is generally not comma-separated, whereas a nonrestrictive clause adds supplementary information and is usually enclosed by commas.