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Webster 1913 Edition


Abnormal

Ab-nor′mal

,
Adj.
[For earlier
anormal
, F.
anormal
, LL.
anormalus
for
anomalus
, Gr. [GREEK]. Confused with L.
abnormis
. See
Anomalous
,
Abnormous
,
Anormal
.]
Not conformed to rule or system; deviating from the type; anomalous; irregular.
“That deviating from the type; anomalous; irregular. ”
Froude.

Definition 2024


abnormal

abnormal

English

Alternative forms

Adjective

abnormal (comparative more abnormal, superlative most abnormal)

  1. Not conforming to rule or system; deviating from the usual or normal type. [First attested around the mid 19th century.][4]
    • 1899, Arthur Conan Doyle, chapter 6, in A Duet:
      And then after an abnormal meal, which was either a very late breakfast or a very early lunch, they drove on to Victoria Station.
  2. Of or pertaining to that which is irregular, in particular, behaviour that deviates from norms of social propriety or accepted standards of mental health. [First attested around the early 20th century.][4]
    • 1904, Jack London, chapter 23, in The Sea Wolf:
      Furuseth was right; I was abnormal, an "emotionless monster," a strange bookish creature, capable of pleasuring in sensations only of the mind.

Synonyms

Translations

Noun

abnormal (plural abnormals)

  1. A person or object that is not normal.

References

  1. Elliott K. Dobbie, C. William Dunmore, Robert K. Barnhart, et al. (editors), Chambers Dictionary of Etymology (Chambers Harrap Publishers Ltd, 2004 [1998], ISBN 0550142304), page 3
  2. Morris, William, editor (1969) The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, New York, NY: American Heritage Publishing Co., Inc., ISBN 0-395-09066-0, published 1971, page 3
  3. Christine A. Lindberg (editor), The Oxford College Dictionary, 2nd edition (Spark Publishing, 2007 [2002], ISBN 978-1-4114-0500-4), page 3
  4. 1 2 Lesley Brown (editor), The Shorter Oxford English Dictionary, 5th edition (Oxford University Press, 2003 [1933], ISBN 978-0-19-860575-7), page 6

German

Pronunciation

Adjective

abnormal (comparative abnormaler, superlative am abnormalsten)

  1. abnormal

Declension