aberrance - Definitions from Dictionary.com

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Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1) - Cite This Source - Share This

ab·er·rant

Audio Help [uh-ber-uh

nt, ab-er-] Pronunciation Key

–adjective

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

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

–noun

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

[Origin: 1820–30; < L aberrant- (s. of aberrāns, prp. of aberrāre to deviate). See ab-, errant

]

—Related forms

ab·er·rance, ab·er·ran·cy, noun

ab·er·rant·ly, adverb

—Synonyms 1. wandering. 2. divergent, unusual.

Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1)
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2006.

Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc.
aberrance

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American Heritage Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This

ab·er·rant Audio Help (āb'ər-ənt, ā-běr'-) Pronunciation Key
adj.

Deviating from the proper or expected course.
Deviating from what is normal; untrue to type.

n. One that is aberrant.

[Latin aberrāns, aberrant-, present participle of aberrāre, to go astray; see aberration.]

ab'er·rance, ab'er·ran·cy n., ab'er·rant·ly adv.

Usage Note: Traditionally aberrant has been pronounced with stress on the second syllable. In recent years, however, a pronunciation with stress on the first syllable has become equally common and may eventually supplant the older pronunciation. This change is owing perhaps to the influence of the words aberration and aberrated, which are stressed on the first syllable. The Usage Panel was divided almost evenly on the subject: 45 percent preferred the older pronunciation and 50 percent preferred the newer one. The remaining 5 percent of the Panelists said they use both pronunciations.

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