aberrant

ab·er·rant

adjective

The definition of aberrant is something that does not follow the correct or expected course or something that is not typical or normal.

An example of an aberrant behavior would be a usually calm person having a fit of rage.
An example of an aberrant animal would be a flying squirrel.

Link/Cite

Link to this page

Cite this page

MLA Style

"Aberrant." YourDictionary. LoveToKnow. www.yourdictionary.com/Aberrant.

APA Style

Aberrant. (n.d.). In YourDictionary. Retrieved from https://www.yourdictionary.com/Aberrant

aberrant

turning away from what is right, true, etc.
deviating from what is normal or typical

Origin of aberrant

from Classical Latin aberrans, present participle of aberrare, to go astray from ab-, from + errare, to wander: see err

an aberrant person or thing

Link/Cite

Link to this page

Cite this page

MLA Style

"Aberrant." YourDictionary. LoveToKnow. www.yourdictionary.com/Aberrant.

APA Style

Aberrant. (n.d.). In YourDictionary. Retrieved from https://www.yourdictionary.com/Aberrant

aberrant

adjective

Deviating from what is considered proper or normal: aberrant behavior.
Deviating from what is typical for a specified thing: an aberrant form of a gene.

noun

One that is aberrant.

Origin of aberrant

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

Related Forms:

ab′er·rance ab′er·ran·cy
noun

ab′er·rant·ly
adverb

Usage Note: Traditionally, aberrant is pronounced with stress on the second syllable (ă-bĕr′ənt). A more recent pronunciation, with stress on the first syllable (ăb′ər-ənt), has begun to compete with the older one. In 2009, 57 percent of the Usage Panel preferred the newer pronunciation and 43 percent the older. Nonetheless, both pronunciations should be considered acceptable.

THE AMERICAN HERITAGE® DICTIONARY OF THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE, FIFTH EDITION by the Editors of the American Heritage Dictionaries. Copyright © 2016, 2011 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

Link/Cite

Link to this page

Cite this page

MLA Style

"Aberrant." YourDictionary. LoveToKnow. www.yourdictionary.com/Aberrant.

APA Style

Aberrant. (n.d.). In YourDictionary. Retrieved from https://www.yourdictionary.com/Aberrant

Adjective

(comparative more aberrant, superlative most aberrant)

(literally figuratively) Straying from the right way; deviating from morality or truth. [First attested in the mid 18^th century.]
(botany, zoology) Deviating from the ordinary or natural type; exceptional; abnormal. [First attested in the mid 19^th century.]

Noun

(plural aberrants)

A person or object that deviates from what is normal in his group.
(biology) A group, individual, or structure that deviates from the usual or natural type, especially with an atypical chromosone number.

Origin

From Latin aberrāns, present active participle of aberrō (“go astray; err”), from ab (“from”) + errō (“to wander”). See aberr.

English Wiktionary. Available under CC-BY-SA license.