aberrant

[ uh-ber-uhnt, ab-er- ]

adjective

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

   Synonyms: wandering

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

   Synonyms: unusual, divergent

noun

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

aberrant

/ æˈbɛrənt /

adjective

1. deviating from the normal or usual type, as certain animals from the group in which they are classified
2. behaving in an abnormal or untypical way
3. deviating from truth, morality, etc

Derived Forms

• abˈerrance, noun

Other Words From

• ab·errance ab·erran·cy noun
• ab·errant·ly adverb

Word History and Origins

Origin of aberrant¹

First recorded in 1820–30, aberrant is from the Latin word aberrant- (stem of aberrāns, present participle of aberrāre to deviate). See ab-, errant

Word History and Origins

Origin of aberrant¹

rare before c19: from the present participle of Latin aberrāre to wander away

Example Sentences

He was detached from reality—in a manner that was even more extreme than his normally aberrant standards.

From Salon

The abnormal and aberrant are being presented as normal and desirable.

From Salon

He hoped doing so might help him improve treatments for cardiac arrhythmias — aberrant rhythms of the heart — that can prove dangerous and even deadly.

From Los Angeles Times

But before the aberrant antibodies behind autoimmune encephalitis were unmasked, many affected individuals died in intensive care units.

From Science Magazine

Variants in these same regions are often involved in genetic conditions, causing aberrant gene expression throughout development.

From Science Daily

Related Words

• abnormal