aberration

C2 Topic:Abstract Ideas

US /ˌæb.əˈɹeɪ.ʃn̩/ See IPA manual

Freq #29229

Meanings

1

noun
Something that is very different from what is normal or expected; a one-off departure from the usual.

His angry outburst was an aberration; he is normally very calm.
2

noun
A flaw in a lens or mirror that produces a blurred or distorted image.

The telescope's blurry images were caused by an optical aberration.
3

noun
A temporary disorder or confusion of the mind.

In a moment of mental aberration, she forgot her own address.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 noun · something that is very... deviance anomaly

2 noun · a flaw in a lens or mirror... distortionoptical aberration

Word family

Forms aberrations

Derived forms aberraticaberrationalaberrationlessmicroaberration

Appears in

Phrases (1)

See all

chromosomal aberration
a change in the usual number or structure of chromosomes

Adjective + noun

Etymology

A learned borrowing from Latin aberrātiō(n) (“relief, diversion”), first attested in 1594, from aberrō (“wander away, go astray”), from ab (“away”) + errō (“wander”). Compare French aberration. By surface analysis, aberrat(e) + -ion.

*h₁ers- Proto-Indo-European

View etymology graph ->

Topics

Abstract Ideas Word Formation & Derivatives

External links

# aberration

**Type:** Word
**Level:** C2
**Part of speech:** noun
**IPA (US):** /ˌæb.əˈɹeɪ.ʃn̩/
**Frequency rank:** 29229

## Meanings
1. Something that is very different from what is normal or expected; a one-off departure from the usual.
2. A flaw in a lens or mirror that produces a blurred or distorted image.
3. A temporary disorder or confusion of the mind.

## Examples
- His angry outburst was an aberration; he is normally very calm.
- The telescope's blurry images were caused by an optical aberration.
- In a moment of mental aberration, she forgot her own address.

## Derived Forms
- aberratic
- aberrational
- aberrationless
- microaberration

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: *h₁ers-

## Etymology
A learned borrowing from Latin aberrātiō(n) (“relief, diversion”), first attested in 1594, from aberrō (“wander away, go astray”), from ab (“away”) + errō (“wander”). Compare French aberration. By surface analysis, aberrat(e) + -ion.

## AI Etymology
Aberration is a learned borrowing from Latin aberrātiō(n) (“relief, diversion”), first attested in 1594, from aberrō (“wander away, go astray”), from ab (“away”) + errō (“wander”). Compare French aberration. By surface analysis, aberrat(e) + -ion. The analysis is mainly morphological: the modern nominal form is built from the named base and affix. Important recorded forms include *h₁ers- (Proto-Indo-European). Current senses include something that is very different from what is normal or expected; a one-off departure from the usual, a flaw in a lens or mirror that produces a blurred or distorted image, and a temporary disorder or confusion of the mind. The wider family includes derived forms such as aberratic, aberrational, aberrationless, and microaberration.

## Topics
- Abstract Ideas
- Word Formation & Derivatives

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