different between aberration vs abnormality

English

Etymology

A learned borrowing from Latin aberr?ti? (“relief, diversion”), first attested in 1594 , from aberr? (“wander away, go astray”), from ab (“away”) + err? (“wander”). Compare French aberration. Equivalent to aberrate +? -ion.

Pronunciation

• (US) IPA^(key): /?æb.???e?.?n?/

Noun

aberration (countable and uncountable, plural aberrations)

1. The act of wandering; deviation from truth, moral rectitude; abnormal; divergence from the straight, correct, proper, normal, or from the natural state. [Late 16^th century.]
2. (optics) The convergence to different foci, by a lens or mirror, of rays of light emanating from one and the same point, or the deviation of such rays from a single focus; a defect in a focusing mechanism that prevents the intended focal point. [Mid 18^th century.]
3. (astronomy) A small periodical change of position in the stars and other heavenly bodies, due to the combined effect of the motion of light and the motion of the observer. [Mid 18^th century.]
   1. (astronomy, by extension) The tendency of light rays to preferentially strike the leading face of a moving object (the effect underlying the above phenomenon).
4. A partial alienation of reason. [Early 19^th century.]
5. A mental disorder, especially one of a minor or temporary character. [Early 19^th century.]
6. (zoology, botany) Atypical development or structure; deviation from the normal type; an aberrant organ. [Mid 19^th century.]
7. (medicine) A deviation of a tissue, organ or mental functions from what is considered to be within the normal range.

Derived terms

Related terms

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References

French

Etymology

From Latin aberrationem, aberratio.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /a.b?.?a.sj??/

Noun

aberration f (plural aberrations)

1. aberration
2. the state of being aberrant
3. (astronomy) aberration
4. (optics) aberration
5. (physiology) aberration or mutation

Related terms

• aberrer

Further reading

• “aberration” in Trésor de la langue française informatisé (The Digitized Treasury of the French Language).

Anagrams

• abornerait, arboraient

English

Etymology

abnormal +? -ity

Pronunciation

• (US) IPA^(key): /?æb?n???mæl.?t.i/, /?æb?n???mæl.?t.i/, /?æb?n??mæl.?t.i/, /?æb?n??mæl.?t.i/

Noun

abnormality (countable and uncountable, plural abnormalities)

1. The state or quality of being abnormal; variation; irregularity. [First attested in the mid 19^th century.]
2. Something abnormal; an aberration; an abnormal occurrence or feature. [First attested in the mid 19^th century.]

Synonyms

• (state of being abnormal): abnormalcy, anomalousness, enormity, weirdness; see also Thesaurus:strangeness
• (something abnormal): aberrant, deviant, outlier; see also Thesaurus:anomaly

Antonyms

• normality

Related terms

• abnormalcy
• abnormalism
• abnormity

Translations

References