irregularity
Americannoun
plural
irregularities-
the quality or state of being irregular.
-
something irregular.
-
a breach of rules, customs, etiquette, morality, etc.
-
occasional mild constipation.
noun
-
the state or quality of being irregular
-
something irregular, such as a bump in a smooth surface
-
a breach of a convention or normal procedure
Etymology
Origin of irregularity
1275–1325; Middle English irregularite < Old French < Medieval Latin irrēgulāritās. See ir- 2, regularity ( def. )
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Nature herself is more than shapeless irregularity; the woods have glades and groves, animal trails and vistas; like literature, they have rising and falling action.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 17, 2026
Transactions initially appeared to be completed correctly, but the irregularity was only discovered days later, when the payment platform transferred the actual amount paid to the affected company.
From Barron's • Feb. 18, 2026
An irregularity could get Marlowe fired, never mind that the camera also logged hours and hours of labor violations.
From Los Angeles Times • Aug. 10, 2025
During the trial last year, Le Pen denied she had committed "the slightest irregularity".
From BBC • Mar. 31, 2025
Once I had the record of the case, I could put together an appeal, usually based on some judicial irregularity such as bias, incorrect procedure, or insufficient evidence.
From "Long Walk to Freedom" by Nelson Mandela
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
