different between aberration vs impunity

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

Translations

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

From Middle French impunité, from Latin impunitas, from impunis (“without punishment”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /?m?pju?n?ti/

Noun

impunity (countable and uncountable, plural impunities)

1. (countable, law) Exemption from punishment.
2. (uncountable) Freedom from punishment or retribution; security from any reprisal or injurious consequences of an action, behaviour etc.
   • 1846, Edgar Allan Poe, The Cask of Amontillado:

     I must not only punish but punish with impunity. A wrong is unredressed when retribution overtakes its redresser.

   • 1994, Nelson Mandela, Long Walk to Freedom, Abacus 2010, p. 495:

     The remoteness of the prison made the authorities feel they could ignore us with impunity.

Translations

Related terms

• impunitive
• punishment
• punition
• punitive
• punitively

References

• Douglas Harper (2001–2021) , “impunity”, in Online Etymology Dictionary