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Webster 1913 Edition


Aberrant

Ab-er′rant

,
Adj.
[L.
aberrans
,
-rantis
, p. pr. of
aberrare
. See
Aberr
.]
1.
Wandering; straying from the right way.
2.
(Biol.)
Deviating from the ordinary or natural type; exceptional; abnormal.
The more
aberrant
any form is, the greater must have been the number of connecting forms which, on my theory, have been exterminated.
Darwin.

Webster 1828 Edition


Aberrant

ABER'RANT

,
Adj.
Wandering, straying from the right way. [Rarely used.]

Definition 2024


aberrant

aberrant

English

Adjective

aberrant (comparative more aberrant, superlative most aberrant)

  1. Differing from the norm. [Attesting from the mid 16th century until the early 17th century.][3]
  2. (sometimes figuratively) Straying from the right way; deviating from morality or truth. [First attested in the mid 18th century.][3]
  3. (botany, zoology) Deviating from the ordinary or natural type; exceptional; abnormal. [First attested in the mid 19th century.][3]
    • 1859, Charles Darwin, On the Origin of the Species:
      The more aberrant any form is, the greater must have been the number of connecting forms which, on my theory, have been exterminated.

Derived terms

Translations

Noun

aberrant (plural aberrants)

  1. A person or object that deviates from the rest of a group.
  2. (biology) A group, individual, or structure that deviates from the usual or natural type, especially with an atypical chromosome number.

Translations

References

  1. Aberrant at Dictionary.com
  2. “aberrant” in the Webster's New Collegiate Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, 1974 edition.
  3. 1 2 3 Lesley Brown (editor), The Shorter Oxford English Dictionary, 5th edition (Oxford University Press, 2003 [1933], ISBN 978-0-19-860575-7), page 4

Catalan

Etymology

From Latin aberrant-, stem of aberrāns, present active participle of aberrō (go astray; err).

Adjective

aberrant m, f (masculine and feminine plural aberrants)

  1. aberrant
  2. (pathology) aberrant (indicating an organ or other tissue which is not in its expected location)

French

Etymology

From Latin aberrant-, stem of aberrāns, present active participle of aberrō (go astray; err).

Pronunciation

Adjective

aberrant m (feminine singular aberrante, masculine plural aberrants, feminine plural aberrantes)

  1. aberrant, abnormal or anomalous.
  2. (sciences) Which is impossible according to the norms or rules.

German

Pronunciation

  • Rhymes: -ant

Adjective

aberrant (comparative aberranter, superlative am aberrantesten)

  1. aberrant

Declension


Latin

Verb

aberrant

  1. third-person plural present active indicative of aberrō