anomaly

American  

[uh-nom-uh-lee] / əˈnɒm ə li /

noun

anomalies plural

1. a deviation from the common rule, type, arrangement, or form.

   Synonyms:

   exception, aberration, abnormality

2. an anomalous person or thing; one that is abnormal or does not fit in.

   With his quiet nature, he was an anomaly in his exuberant family.

   Synonyms:

   exception, aberration, abnormality

3. an odd, peculiar, or strange condition, situation, quality, etc.

4. an incongruity or inconsistency.

5. Astronomy. a quantity measured in degrees, defining the position of an orbiting body with respect to the point at which it is nearest to or farthest from its primary.

6. Meteorology. the amount of deviation of a meteorological quantity from the accepted normal value of that quantity.

7. Grammar. irregularity.

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anomaly British  

/ əˈnɒməlɪ /

noun

1. something anomalous

2. deviation from the normal or usual order, type, etc; irregularity

3. astronomy

   1. Also called: true anomaly.  the angle between a planet, the sun, and the previous perihelion of the planet

   2. Also called: eccentric anomaly.  the angle between the periapsis of a particular point on a circle round the orbit as seen from the centre of the orbit. This point is obtained by producing a perpendicular to the major axis of the ellipse through the orbiting body until it reaches the circumference of the circle

   3. Also called: mean anomaly.  the angle between the periapsis of an orbit and the position of an imaginary body orbiting at a constant angular speed and in the same period as the real orbiting body

4. geology

   1. Also called: gravity anomaly.  a deviation from the normal value of gravity at the earth's surface, caused by density differences at depth, for example those caused by a buried mineral body

   2. Also called: magnetic anomaly.  a magnetic field, for example one produced by a buried mineral body, that deviates from an expected or standard value, usually that of the earth's magnetic field

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• anomalistic
  adjective
• anomalistically
  adverb

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• anomalies
  plural

Etymology

Origin of anomaly

First recorded in 1565–75; from Latin anōmalia, from Greek anōmalía, equivalent to anṓmal(os) “irregular” + -ia noun suffix; see anomalous, -ia

Explanation

An anomaly is an abnormality, a blip on the screen of life that doesn’t fit with the rest of the pattern. If you are a breeder of black dogs and one puppy comes out pink, that puppy is an anomaly. The noun anomaly comes from the Greek word anomolia, meaning "uneven” or “irregular.” When something is unusual compared to similar things around it, it’s the anomaly. If you are an Olympian who comes from a family of bookish types who all find it strenuous to walk the dog, you are an anomaly.

Example Sentences

“This seeming anomaly forces a reminder that commodity futures are anticipatory, and it is obvious that the speculative entities are expecting an elimination of the large crude deficit that currently exists.”

From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 25, 2026

Weather service Meteo-France warned that temperatures could reach as high as 41C in some places on Sunday as France finds itself at the epicentre of a heat anomaly also affecting southern Britain, Spain and Portugal.

From Barron's • Jun. 21, 2026

He introduced bills for a clearer medical exception and protection for doctors who intervened in cases where a fatal fetal anomaly risked the mother’s health.

From Salon • Jun. 8, 2026

In a statement on social media, Blue Origin said it had "experienced an anomaly" during a hotfire test.

From BBC • May 29, 2026

The following sports anomaly has legal implications as well.

From "Innumeracy: Mathematical Illiteracy and Its Consequences" by John Allen Paulos

Related Words

• aberration
• abnormality
• deviation
• inconsistency
• irregularity
• oddity
• rarity