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aberrant - 11 dictionary results
ab⋅er⋅rant
[uh-ber-uh
nt, ab-er-] 
–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. |
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
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Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
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|
Link To aberrant
| ab·er·rant (āb'ər-ənt, ā-běr'-) adj.
[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. |
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
Cite This Source
| Main Entry: | aberrant1 |
| Part of Speech: | adj |
| Definition: | differing from the normal or accepted way, esp. in behavior |
| Etymology: | Latin ab- + errare 'to wander' |
| Main Entry: | aberrant1 |
| Part of Speech: | n |
| Definition: | any person, group, or thing that differs substantially from the usual or standard |
| Etymology: | Latin ab- + errare 'to wander' |
| Main Entry: | aberrant2 |
| Part of Speech: | adj |
| Definition: | differing substantially from the usual or natural type; atypical |
| Etymology: | Latin ab- + errare 'to wander' |
| Main Entry: | aberrant2 |
| Part of Speech: | n |
| Definition: | an aberrant person, group, or thing |
| Etymology: | Latin ab- + errare 'to wander' |
| Main Entry: | aberrant3 |
| Part of Speech: | adj |
| Definition: | wandering or deviating from the normal course |
| Etymology: | Latin ab- + errare 'to wander' |
| Usage: | medicine |
| Main Entry: | aberrant4 |
| Part of Speech: | adj |
| Definition: | out of place; ectopic |
| Etymology: | Latin ab- + errare 'to wander' |
| Usage: | medicine |
Aberrant
Ab*er"rant\, a. [L. aberrans, -rantis, p. pr. of aberrare. See Aberr.]1. Wandering; straying from the right way. 2. (Biol.) Deviating from the ordinary or natural type; exceptional; abnormal. The more aberrant any form is, the greater must have been the number of connecting forms which, on my theory, have been exterminated. --Darwin.
Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary, © 1996, 1998 MICRA, Inc.
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Main Entry: ab·er·rant
Pronunciation: a-'ber-&nt, &-; 'ab-&-r&nt, -"e(&)r-&nt
Function: adjective
1 : strayingfrom the right or normal way <aberrant behavior such as delinquency and crime —Carl Binger>
2 : deviating from the usual or natural type :
Merriam-Webster's Medical Dictionary, © 2002 Merriam-Webster, Inc.
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aberrant ab·er·rant (ā-běr'ənt, āb'ər-)
adj.
- Deviating from the usual course, as certain ducts, vessels, or nerves.
- Deviating from the normal; untrue to type.
- Out of place; ectopic.
ab·er'ran·cy n.
The American Heritage® Stedman's Medical Dictionary
Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company.
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Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Cite This Source
Copyright © 2009, Dictionary.com, LLC. All rights reserved.
