Meanings
nounanomaly (plural anomalies)
plural anomalies
- A deviation from a rule or from what is regarded as normal; an outlier.
This ardent exploration, absorbing all his energy and interest, made him forget for the moment the mystery of his heritage and the anomaly that cut him off from all his fellows.
1956, Arthur C. Clarke, The City and the Stars, page 43Synonyms: abnormality, deviance, deviation, exception, inconsistency, irregularity, phenomenon
- sciencesAny event or measurement that is out of the ordinary regardless of whether it is exceptional or not.
She disregarded some of the anomalies in the experiment, putting them down to miscalculation.
- astronomyAny of various angular distances.
- biologyA defect or malformation.
- quantum mechanicsA failure of a classical symmetry due to quantum corrections.
- datedAn irregularity or disproportion.
Synonyms & antonyms
nounA deviation from a rule or from what is regarded as normal; an outlier.
Broader
More synonyms by meaning
noundeviation from the normal or common order or form or rule
Similar
Broader
Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.
Origin
- Proto-Indo-European*né
- Proto-Indo-European*n̥-
- Proto-Hellenic*ə-
- Ancient Greekᾰ̓- (ă-)
- Proto-Indo-European*sem-
- Proto-Indo-European*sem-h₂-lo-s
- Ancient Greekὁμᾰλός (homălós)
- Ancient Greekἀνώμαλος (anṓmalos)
- Ancient Greekἀνωμαλία (anōmalía)
- Latinanōmalia
- Englishanomaly
From Latin anomalia, from Ancient Greek ἀνωμαλία (anōmalía, “irregularity, anomaly”), from ἀνώμαλος (anṓmalos, “irregular, uneven”), negating the meaning of ὁμαλός (homalós, “even”), from ὁμός (homós, “same”).
More words from Latin, Ancient Greek
Full word history & related roots →Translations
Ancient Greek ᾰ̓νωμᾰλῐ́ᾱ
- ᾰ̓νωμᾰλῐ́ᾱ (ănōmălĭ́ā)deviation from norm
Arabic شُذُوذ, شُذُوذ
- شُذُوذ (šuḏūḏ)deviation from norm
- شُذُوذ (šuḏūḏ)something or someone that is strange or unusual
- عَيْب خِلْقِيّ (ʕayb ḵilqiyy)biological defect or malformation
- شُذُوذ (šuḏūḏ)dated: an irregularity or inconsistency
Bulgarian аномалия, неправилност
- аномалия (anomalija)deviation from norm
- неправилност (nepravilnost)something or someone that is strange or unusual
- аномалия (anomalija)science: any event, big or small, out of the ordinary
- аномалия (anomalija)biological defect or malformation
Catalan anomalia
- anomaliadeviation from norm
Chinese Mandarin 異常 /异常, 反常
- 異常 /异常 (yìcháng)deviation from norm
- 反常 (fǎncháng)deviation from norm
Czech anomálie
- anomáliedeviation from norm
Dutch afwijking, anomalie
- afwijkingdeviation from norm
- anomaliedeviation from norm
- abnormaliteitdeviation from norm
- rariteitsomething or someone that is strange or unusual
- onregelmatigheidsomething or someone that is strange or unusual
- anomaliescience: any event, big or small, out of the ordinary
- afwijkingbiological defect or malformation
- anomaliebiological defect or malformation
- misvormingbiological defect or malformation
- anomaliedated: an irregularity or inconsistency
- onregelmatigheiddated: an irregularity or inconsistency
Esperanto anomalio
- anomaliodeviation from norm
Finnish anomalia, poikkeavuus
- anomaliadeviation from norm
- poikkeavuusdeviation from norm
- poikkeamadeviation from norm
- poikkeusdeviation from norm
- anomaliasomething or someone that is strange or unusual
- poikkeavasomething or someone that is strange or unusual
- poikkeussomething or someone that is strange or unusual
- poikkeamascience: any event, big or small, out of the ordinary
- anomaliaastronomy: any of various angular distances
- epämuodostumabiological defect or malformation
- säännöttömyysdated: an irregularity or inconsistency
- epäsäännöllisyysdated: an irregularity or inconsistency
French anomalie, anomalie
- anomaliedeviation from norm
- anomalieastronomy: any of various angular distances
- anomaliedated: an irregularity or inconsistency
German Anomalie, Anomalie
- Anomaliedeviation from norm
- Anomaliedated: an irregularity or inconsistency
Greek ανωμαλία, ανωμαλία
- ανωμαλία (anomalía)deviation from norm
- ανωμαλία (anomalía)science: any event, big or small, out of the ordinary
- ανωμαλία (anomalía)biological defect or malformation
- ανωμαλία (anomalía)dated: an irregularity or inconsistency
Hindi असंगति, कोणिकांतर
- असंगति (asaṅgti)deviation from norm
- कोणिकांतर (koṇikāntar)astronomy: any of various angular distances
Hungarian anomália, rendellenesség
- anomáliadeviation from norm
- rendellenességdeviation from norm
- szabálytalanságdeviation from norm
- eltérésdeviation from norm
- anomáliasomething or someone that is strange or unusual
- anomáliascience: any event, big or small, out of the ordinary
- anomáliadated: an irregularity or inconsistency
Irish aimhrialtacht, aimhrialtacht
- aimhrialtachtdeviation from norm
- aimhrialtachtscience: any event, big or small, out of the ordinary
- aimhrialtachtastronomy: any of various angular distances
- aimhrialtachtbiological defect or malformation
Italian anomalia, anomalia
- anomaliadeviation from norm
- anomaliasomething or someone that is strange or unusual
- anomaliascience: any event, big or small, out of the ordinary
- anomaliabiological defect or malformation
- anomaliadated: an irregularity or inconsistency
Japanese 例外, 離角
- 例外 (reigai)deviation from norm
- 離角 (rikaku)astronomy: any of various angular distances
Korean 예외
- 예외 (ye'oe)deviation from norm
Latin anōmalia, irrēgulāritās
- anōmaliadeviation from norm
- irrēgulāritāsdeviation from norm
- abnōrmitāsdeviation from norm
- abnōrmālitāsdeviation from norm
Persian ناهنجاری, بیهنجاری
- ناهنجاری (nâhanjâri)deviation from norm
- بیهنجاری (bi-hanjâri)science: any event, big or small, out of the ordinary
- ناهنجاری (nâhanjâri)science: any event, big or small, out of the ordinary
Polish anomalia, nieprawidłowość
- anomaliadeviation from norm
- nieprawidłowośćdeviation from norm
- anomaliascience: any event, big or small, out of the ordinary
- nieprawidłowośćscience: any event, big or small, out of the ordinary
- anomaliaastronomy: any of various angular distances
- anomaliadated: an irregularity or inconsistency
- nieprawidłowośćdated: an irregularity or inconsistency
Portuguese anomalia, anomalia
- anomaliadeviation from norm
- anomaliasomething or someone that is strange or unusual
- anomaliascience: any event, big or small, out of the ordinary
- anomaliadated: an irregularity or inconsistency
Romanian anomalie, anomalie
- anomaliedeviation from norm
- anomalieastronomy: any of various angular distances
- anomaliebiological defect or malformation
Russian анома́лия, ненорма́льность
- анома́лия (anomálija)deviation from norm
- ненорма́льность (nenormálʹnostʹ)deviation from norm
Slovak anomália
- anomáliaastronomy: any of various angular distances
Spanish anomalía, anomalía
- anomalíadeviation from norm
- anomalíasomething or someone that is strange or unusual
Swedish avvikelse, anomali
- avvikelsedeviation from norm
- anomalideviation from norm
- anomalidated: an irregularity or inconsistency
- avvikelsedated: an irregularity or inconsistency
Tagalog anomalya, anomalya
- anomalyadeviation from norm
- anomalyasomething or someone that is strange or unusual
- anomalyabiological defect or malformation
Thai ความผิดปกติ
- ความผิดปกติdeviation from norm
Turkish denksizlik, fevkaladelik
- denksizlikdeviation from norm
- fevkaladelikdeviation from norm
- olağandışılıkdeviation from norm
- anomalideviation from norm
Ukrainian анома́лія, ненорма́льність
- анома́лія (anomálija)deviation from norm
- ненорма́льність (nenormálʹnistʹ)deviation from norm
Vietnamese sự bất thường
- sự bất thườngdeviation from norm
Cite this entry
APA
anomaly. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/anomaly
MLA
“anomaly.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/anomaly. Accessed November 2, 2026.
Chicago
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “anomaly,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/anomaly.
Source: anomaly on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.