non-contiguous
Meaning
Not sharing a common border; not touching.
Not next to or connected in a sequence.
Structure
Usage
The two properties are noncontiguous, separated by a public road.
The data was stored in noncontiguous blocks on the hard drive.
Alaska and Hawaii are noncontiguous states of the USA.
Etymology
The word "noncontiguous" is a modern English formation built upon the adjective "contiguous." "Contiguous" itself derives from the Latin contiguus, meaning "touching, bordering upon," which comes from the verb contingere ("to touch upon, border on"), a compound of con- ("together") and tangere ("to touch"). The prefix non-, of Latin origin, is systematically added to negate the core meaning. Thus, the literal construction "not-together-touching" logically evolved to describe things that are not in physical contact or not adjacent in a sequence, a concept frequently applied in geography, computing, and data management.
Analysis
non: Latin origin, a prefix meaning "not." con: Latin origin (variant of 'com-'), a prefix meaning "together, with." tiguous: From Latin tiguus, related to tangere (to touch), serving as the adjectival base meaning "touching."