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

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

Colors become aberrant, shifting suddenly from greens into turquoise blue, while authentic nature steps aside for abstraction.

From Los Angeles Times

"This is just an aberrant episode in an otherwise productive life," she said, according to the Reuters news agency.

From BBC

Parents’ exposure to plastics was “consistently and significantly associated” with lower cognitive scores in their children who had autism, increases in “aberrant behaviors” and deficits in basic life skills, the study found.

From Salon

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

Related Words

• abnormal