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abnormality

abnormality

11 5.2
Something that is not normal and can be seen in the body or test results
  • noun
  • /æbˈnɔrməlɪti/
translation icon : anomalía
  • The scale of the abnormality is so staggering that it can actually become numbing.
  • detect abnormalities
  • an apparent abnormality

She's going to frame this in terms of the categories of normality and abnormality.

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Examples

  • Transnasal fiberoptic laryngoscopy can reveal obstructive abnormalities that are not detected by headlight or flashlight examination.

    Academic text (1999)
  • She thinks that normality and abnormality are in fact culturally defined and determined.

  • A great deal of guilt and feelings of abnormality can be taken away by such a description.

    Academic text (1999)
  • We can rule out glandular abnormality as a cause.

  • This abnormality doesn't look like it was caused by trauma.

  • A neurologic examination was carried out and no abnormality was detected.

    Academic text (2007)
  • And the so-called abnormalities are actually normal responses to an abnormal situation.

  • Mr. Halsey's paranoid psychosis stems from an abnormality near the sub-visual cortex.

  • There's no sign of concussion, no brain tumour, no temporal lobe, epilepsy, no indication of organic abnormality whatsoever.

  • The doctor noted an abnormality in the patient's heart scan that required further investigation.

Synonyms

anomaly
vsabnormality
165 7.1

Something that is not normal or expected

is the broader condition of being noticeably unusual rather than one instance
weirdness
vsabnormality
35 4.6

Being very strange or unusual in a way that attracts attention

is the general unusual state, not necessarily extreme or attention seeking
oddity
vsabnormality
15 5.3

A strange person or object that people notice

is the general unusual condition, not focused on being a notable object
eccentricity
vsabnormality
15 7.8

Unusual behavior or habits that are different from what most people do

is broader, covering any noticeable abnormal state, not just quirky behaviour
peculiarity
vsabnormality
14 6.1

An unusual feature that makes someone or something different

is the overall state of being unusual rather than a single distinguishing trait
irregularity
vsabnormality
13 5.1

A lack of regular pattern or evenness

is about being noticeably not normal rather than only pattern unevenness
strangeness
vsabnormality
12 5.5

The feeling that something is unusual or hard to explain

highlights the general state of not being normal rather than simple unfamiliarity
oddness
vsabnormality
1 5.8

A state of being unusual or strange in a way that is hard to explain

is the broader idea of being not normal rather than puzzling or mysterious
bizarreness
vsabnormality
1 6.9

A state of being very strange or unusual that surprises people

is broader, covering any noticeable departure from normal rather than surreal oddness
unconventionality
vsabnormality
1 7.5

Doing things in a new or unusual way

is the simple quality of being unusual rather than deliberate nonconformity
unusualness
vsabnormality
1 6.9

How different or rare something is compared with what people expect

adds that the difference is often noticeable or significant
extraordinariness
vsabnormality
1 7.7

The quality of being very unusual and making someone or something stand out

is the general state of being not normal, without implying praise
freakishness
vsabnormality
1 7.5

A quality of being very strange or different from most people

is the more neutral label for being unusual without extreme connotations
freakiness
vsabnormality
1 6.1

A quality of being strange or unexpected, like odd weather

is the overall state of unusualness rather than sudden surprising oddity
outlandishness
vsabnormality
1 8.4

Being very unusual in appearance, ideas, or behavior

is the general unusual condition rather than extreme or theatrical strangeness
anomalousness
vsabnormality
9.9

A state of being different from what is usual or expected

is the general state of being noticeably unusual rather than a technical deviation
aberrancy
vsabnormality
9.9

A state of being very different from what is normal

is the general quality of being unusual rather than a marked technical change
aberrance
vsabnormality
9.2

A change from what is normal or expected

is the general notion of being unusual rather than a strong departure
atypicality
vsabnormality
8.3

Being different from the usual type or pattern

is the noticeable difference in general rather than simple mismatch to a type
uncommonness
vsabnormality
8.3

Being rare or not often seen

focuses more on being strikingly different rather than merely rare
exceptionality
vsabnormality
7.7

A quality of being very different or much better than normal

is more neutral and focuses on being unusual not on praise
uncanniness
vsabnormality
7.8

A strange, mysterious feeling that makes you feel uneasy or surprised

is the neutral state of being unusual, not focused on causing unease

Antonyms

13 3.5

A time when things are usual and happen as expected

Compounds

genetic abnormality
  • Specialized
3 4.6

A change in a person's genes that causes a disease

1 6.1

A change in the number or shape of chromosomes that often causes health problems

1 5.4

A health problem in the body or the way it works that is present when a baby is born

mental abnormality
  • Specialized
1 7.5

A condition where a person's thinking or feelings work very differently from usual and cause problems

How Unusual

rarity
31 6.2
anomaly
165 7.1
abnormality
11 5.2
oddness
1 5.8
strange
2.3

Surface Forms

abnormality singular
abnormalities plural

Morphology

abnormality = abnormal (transparent) = ab + normal + ity

Standard nominalization of the adjective 'abnormal' with '-ity' yields 'the state of being not normal', which is directly inferable.

Etymology

Abnormality comes from ab- 'away' and normal 'usual' or 'rule'. So an abnormality is simply something that is noticeably 'away from the usual', like an unusual shape or pattern.