anomalous

American  

[uh-nom-uh-luhs] / əˈnɒm ə ləs /

adjective

1. deviating from or inconsistent with the common order, form, or rule; irregular; abnormal.

   Advanced forms of life may be anomalous in the universe.

2. not fitting into a common or familiar type, classification, or pattern; unusual.

   He held an anomalous position in the art world.

3. incongruous or inconsistent.

4. Grammar. irregular.

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anomalous British  

/ əˈnɒmələs /

adjective

1. deviating from the normal or usual order, type, etc; irregular, abnormal, or incongruous

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Other Word Forms

• anomalously adverb
• anomalousness noun

Etymology

Origin of anomalous

First recorded in 1640–50; from Medieval Latin, Late Latin anōmalus, or directly from Greek anṓmalos “irregular,” equivalent to an- “not, lacking” an- ¹ + homalós “even,” with ō by analogy with other Greek privatives ( anopheles ); an- ¹, homo-, -ous

Example Sentences

“We do have some very anomalous objects,” he said, adding that the office, the All-domain Anomaly Resolution Office, hasn’t yet discovered verifiable evidence of extraterrestrial beings, activity or technology.

From The Wall Street Journal

It is becoming more common in some places to see mingling between men and women who aren’t relatives, socializing that was anomalous a decade ago.

From The Wall Street Journal

Properties in southern and southeastern states will also have bigger losses because “the low temperatures there were more anomalous and properties are generally less prepared for these low temperatures.”

From Barron's

Ms Sánchez said the blackout was caused by a combination of issues, including an "unknown event" in the system moments before, which saw anomalous voltage oscillations.

From BBC

But a lesson is also the difficulty of concealing such cheating given the ease of detecting anomalous betting patterns.

From The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

• abnormal
• atypical
• divergent
• incongruous
• peculiar
• unnatural