US /ˌæbˈnɔɹ.ml̩/ UK /ˌæbˈnɔː.məl/
adj noun Freq #10214

Meanings

  1. 1
    adj

    different from what is normal or expected, often in a worrying way

    The test showed an abnormal level of sugar in his blood.

  2. 2
    adj

    much greater than usual

    The company made abnormal profits last year.

Thesaurus

Synonyms
1 adj · different from what is... unnaturalatypicalirregularunusual
2 adj · much greater than usual exceptionalextraordinary
Word family
Derived forms abendabnormalcyabnormaliseabnormalismabnormalistabnormalityabnormalizationabnormalizeabnormallyabnormalnessabnormieabnormity

Etymology

From ab- + normal. First attested in 1835, replacing the earlier anormal and even earlier abnormous, from Latin abnormis (“departing from normal”), from either ab- (“away from”) + norma (“rule, norm”), or Ancient Greek ἀνώμαλος (anṓmalos).

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