What's a word for not traditional

Several words describe not traditional with varying connotations. Modern, contemporary, innovative, or progressive emphasize newness, current relevance, or forward-looking approaches. Unconventional, nontraditional, alternative, or unorthodox describe departures from established norms without necessarily being modern. Radical or revolutionary suggest dramatic breaks from tradition. Experimental or avant-garde emphasize innovation and willingness to try untested approaches. The best choice depends on whether you're emphasizing time period (modern), departure from norms (unconventional), or degree of change (radical).

Context matters significantly: describing parenting as "not traditional" might become "modern parenting," "progressive parenting," or "alternative parenting" depending on specific practices. Education that's not traditional becomes "innovative education," "experimental learning," or "progressive pedagogy." Art that's not traditional becomes "contemporary art," "avant-garde," or "experimental." Medicine that's not traditional becomes "modern medicine," "evidence-based medicine," or "Western medicine" (when contrasted with traditional non-Western systems). Sometimes the negative construction itself works best—"nontraditional student" is standard terminology for adult learners returning to education. Choose words that communicate whether you're describing temporal newness, methodological innovation, or value-neutral difference from established practices.