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

de·vi·ant

Audio Help [dee-vee-uh

nt] Pronunciation Key

–adjective

1.	deviating or departing from the norm; characterized by deviation: deviant social behavior.

–noun

2.	a person or thing that deviates or departs markedly from the accepted norm.

[Origin: 1350–1400; ME < LL déviant- (s. of déviāns, prp. of déviāre to deviate), equiv. to L dé- de- + vi(a) road, way + -ant- -ant

]

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

Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc.
deviant

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American Heritage Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This

de·vi·ant Audio Help   (dē'vē-ənt) Pronunciation Key
adj.   Differing from a norm or from the accepted standards of a society.

n.   One that differs from a norm, especially a person whose behavior and attitudes differ from accepted social standards.

[Middle English deviaunt, from Late Latin dēviāns, dēviant-, present participle of dēviāre, to deviate; see deviate.]

de'vi·ance, de'vi·an·cy n.

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Online Etymology Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This
deviant

c.1400 (adj.), from L.L. deviantem, prp. of deviare "turn aside," from L. phrase de via, from de "off" + via "way." The noun, in the sexual sense, is attested from 1952; also deviate (n.), recorded since 1947. The verb deviate (c.1633) is from the L. pp. stem. Deviation in the statistical sense is first attested 1858.

WordNet - Cite This Source - Share This

deviant
adjective
1.	markedly different from an accepted norm; "aberrant behavior"; "deviant ideas" [syn: aberrant]
noun
1.	a person whose behavior deviates from what is acceptable especially in sexual behavior [syn: pervert]