aberration

[ ab-uh-rey-shuhn ]

/ ˌæb əˈreɪ ʃən /

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See synonyms for: aberration / aberrational on Thesaurus.com

noun

the act of departing from the right, normal, or usual course.

the act or instance of deviating from the ordinary, usual, or normal type.

deviation from truth or moral rectitude.

mental irregularity or disorder, especially of a minor or temporary nature; lapse from a sound mental state.

Astronomy. apparent displacement of a heavenly body, owing to the motion of the earth in its orbit.

Optics. any disturbance of the rays of a pencil of light such that they can no longer be brought to a sharp focus or form a clear image.

Photography. a defect in a camera lens or lens system, due to flaws in design, material, or construction, that can distort the image.

OTHER WORDS FOR aberration

1 wandering; deviation, divergence.

4 abnormality, eccentricity, illusion, delusion, hallucination.

See synonyms for aberration on Thesaurus.com

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Origin of aberration

First recorded in 1585–95; from Latin aberrātiōn- (stem of aberrātiō ) “distraction, diversion, relief (from pain or sorrow),” equivalent to aberrāt(us), past participle of aberrāre “to divert, forget for a time; to wander, deviate” + -iōn-; see origin at aberrant,-ion

OTHER WORDS FROM aberration

ab·er·ra·tion·al, adjective

Words nearby aberration

Aberdonian, Aberfan, Abernathy, abernethy, aberrant, aberration, Aberystwyth, ab esse, abessive, abet, abetalipoproteinemia

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use aberration in a sentence

They were also an aberration from conventional music industry logic.
How TikTok is changing the music industry|Stacey Anderson|February 21, 2021|Quartz
January 6th was a culmination of the president’s actions, not an aberration from them.
I was skeptical of Democrats pursuing a second impeachment. I was wrong.|Karen Tumulty|February 11, 2021|Washington Post
We will also be investigating any aberrations and issues in the mail-in voting process as we find them, and telling the stories of the people and communities impacted most.
Millions of Mail-In Votes Have Already Been Cast in Battleground States. Track Their Progress Here.|by ProPublica|October 15, 2020|ProPublica
Our current era of seesawing power is the historical aberration, and as political scientist Frances Lee argues in her book Insecure Majorities, it has reshaped Congress and made bipartisan compromise nearly impossible.
The definitive case for ending the filibuster|Ezra Klein|October 1, 2020|Vox

The city’s death statistics reveal an aberration, ProPublica found.
Sent Home to Die|by Annie Waldman and Joshua Kaplan|September 2, 2020|ProPublica
The Civil War was clearly an aberration in American society and of profound significance.
The Man Who Made America: Simone Winchester Talks New Book|Eric Herschthal|October 17, 2013|DAILY BEAST
In fact, the very notion of restraint has become an aberration.
The 1 Percent Army: Andrew Bacevich on How America Lost the Military|Phil Klay|September 16, 2013|DAILY BEAST
His actions may have been an aberration but his thinking, sadly, is not.
How To Take Purim Seriously|Shaul Magid|February 21, 2013|DAILY BEAST
But as the report pointed out time and time again, that dark era of violence in America was not some aberration.
Sorry, But Don’t Expect Any Change After Newtown|Buzz Bissinger|December 17, 2012|DAILY BEAST
How did this aberration come to pass and why has it persisted until now?
Victory for Pot Means Beginning of the End of Our Crazy Drug War|Martin A. Lee|November 8, 2012|DAILY BEAST
Even a thinking machine must have its moments of aberration.
The Secret Witness|George Gibbs
But this easiness is only possible, in promiscuity, which is possibly a worse ill than aberration.
The Natural Philosophy of Love|Remy de Gourmont
Nevertheless it would be imprudent wholly to rule out this form of sexual aberration from the causes of variability of species.
The Natural Philosophy of Love|Remy de Gourmont
The spiritual culture of Greece an aberration of the amazing political impulse towards ἁριστεὑειν.
We Philologists, Volume 8 (of 18)|Friedrich Nietzsche
His instinct, which was stronger than his intelligence, told him that such an aberration was possible.
The Fourth Estate, vol. 2|Armando Palacio Valds

British Dictionary definitions for aberration

aberration

/ (ˌæbəˈreɪʃən) /

noun

deviation from what is normal, expected, or usual

departure from truth, morality, etc

a lapse in control of one's mental faculties

optics a defect in a lens or mirror that causes the formation of either a distorted image or one with coloured fringesSee also spherical aberration, chromatic aberration

astronomy the apparent displacement of a celestial body due to the finite speed of light and the motion of the observer with the earth

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Scientific definitions for aberration

aberration

[ ăb′ə-rā′shən ]

A deviation in the normal structure or number of chromosomes in an organism.

A defect in a lens or mirror that prevents light rays from being focused at a single point and results in a distorted or blurred image.♦ Aberration that results in distortion of color is called chromatic aberration.♦ Aberration that is caused by imperfections in the surface or shape of a spherical mirror or lens is called spherical aberration. See also astigmatism coma2.

aberration

OTHER WORDS FOR aberration

Origin of aberration

OTHER WORDS FROM aberration

Words nearby aberration

Words related to aberration

How to use aberration in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for aberration

Scientific definitions for aberration