ab·er·rant

(ăb′ər-ənt, ă-bĕr′-)

adj.

1. Deviating from what is considered proper or normal: aberrant behavior.

2. Deviating from what is typical for a specified thing: an aberrant form of a gene.

One that is aberrant.

[Latin aberrāns, aberrant-, present participle of aberrāre, to go astray; see aberration.]

ab′er·rance, ab′er·ran·cy n.

ab′er·rant·ly adv.

Usage Note: Traditionally, aberrant is pronounced with stress on the second syllable (ă-bĕr′ənt). A more recent pronunciation, with stress on the first syllable (ăb′ər-ənt), has begun to compete with the older one. In 2009, 57 percent of the Usage Panel preferred the newer pronunciation and 43 percent the older. Nonetheless, both pronunciations should be considered acceptable.

American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

aberrance, aberrancy

the condition or state of being deviant or aberrant.

See also: Behavior

ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:

Noun

aberrance - a state or condition markedly different from the norm

aberrancy, aberration, deviance

abnormalcy, abnormality - an abnormal physical condition resulting from defective genes or developmental deficiencies

chromosomal aberration, chromosomal anomaly, chromosonal disorder, chrosomal abnormality - any change in the normal structure or number of chromosomes; often results in physical or mental abnormalities

deflection, warp - a twist or aberration; especially a perverse or abnormal way of judging or acting

aberrance

noun

The condition of being abnormal:

aberrancy, aberration, abnormality, anomaly, deviance, deviancy, deviation, irregularity, preternaturalness, unnaturalness.

Translations

aberration