aberrant

American  

[uh-ber-uhnt, ab-er-] / əˈbɛr ənt, ˈæb ər- /

adjective

1. departing from the right, normal, or usual course.

   Synonyms:

   wandering

2. deviating from the ordinary, usual, or normal type; exceptional; abnormal.

   Synonyms:

   unusual, divergent

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noun

1. an aberrant person, thing, group, etc.

aberrant British  

/ æˈbɛrənt /

adjective

1. deviating from the normal or usual type, as certain animals from the group in which they are classified

2. behaving in an abnormal or untypical way

3. deviating from truth, morality, etc

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Other Word Forms

• aberrance noun
• aberrancy noun
• aberrantly adverb

Etymology

Origin of aberrant

First recorded in 1820–30, aberrant is from the Latin word aberrant- (stem of aberrāns, present participle of aberrāre to deviate). See ab-, errant

Example Sentences

Judge Alan Schneider said during Monday's hearing that his behaviour when he was arrested was "aberrant from his normal conduct", his lawyer Christy O'Connor told BBC News after the hearing.

From BBC • Apr. 6, 2026

Ending the survey allows the government to preserve a different story, one in which scarcity is aberrant and prosperity is the norm, and any evidence to the contrary can be written off as exceptional.

From Salon • Sep. 25, 2025

Again, the answer lies in the collective mindset of reality TV, whose fans are highly tolerant of aberrant behavior and quick to forgive missteps.

From Los Angeles Times • Jan. 19, 2025

But before the aberrant antibodies behind autoimmune encephalitis were unmasked, many affected individuals died in intensive care units.

From Science Magazine • May 15, 2024

“If we don’t distinguish our heartache—don’t at least attempt to work through it, you understand—it tends to pop up later. In different ways, aberrant ways.”

From "The Stars Beneath Our Feet" by David Barclay Moore

Related Words

• abnormal