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

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 • Feb. 14, 2026

It’s true that commodities on the whole did poorly from 2023 to 2024, but Emanuel calls that anomalous period a temporary “dip” that is now reversing.

From Barron's • Jan. 30, 2026

“It’s completely unprecedented, completely anomalous — representative, I think, of a major transformation of our normal political life,” said Jack Rakove, a Stanford University emeritus professor of history and political science.

From Los Angeles Times • Oct. 31, 2025

Ireland really is unique, or at least anomalous, in a number of respects.

From Salon • Mar. 16, 2025

So he repeated the experiment with mercury, and reproduced the anomalous space.

From "The Invention of Science" by David Wootton

Related Words

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