Unorthodox means unusual or different from what's normally done or accepted. When someone takes an unorthodox approach to a problem, they're solving it in a way that breaks from tradition or standard methods.

If the orthodox way to study for a spelling test is using flashcards, an unorthodox method might be writing a story using all the words or acting them out with friends.

Unorthodox methods aren't necessarily wrong: they're just unexpected. A basketball player with an unorthodox shooting style might have strange-looking form that coaches never teach, but if the ball goes in, it works. Scientists sometimes make breakthroughs by asking unorthodox questions that challenge what everyone assumes is true.

The word often carries a hint of surprise or raised eyebrows. When your teacher uses an unorthodox seating arrangement, like having everyone sit in a circle on the floor instead of at desks, students notice because it's so different from the normal routine. Whether unorthodox choices succeed or fail usually depends on whether the person trying them understands why the orthodox way exists in the first place.