anomaly
Pluralanomalies
- 1Something strange or unusual that does not fit the normal pattern.
Snow in May is an anomaly in this town.
The new law fixes an anomaly that let some people pay less tax.
UsageSay an anomaly in the data.
Similarirregularity, aberration, oddity, exception, abnormality
- 2A fault in a body or plant, or a part that did not form in the normal way.
The scan showed a small anomaly in the baby's heart.
Some of the frogs from the pond had anomalies in their legs.
UsageSay an anomaly in the heart.
Similarabnormality, malformation, defect
- 3In astronomy, any of several distances that are measured as angles.
The anomaly of the planet changes a little every day as it moves around the sun.
She worked out the moon's anomaly to find where it was in its orbit.
Note
Less common meaning
- 4In quantum physics, when a symmetry that works in classical physics breaks because of quantum effects.
Practice
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Origin
From Greek, through Latin, from a word meaning "irregular" or "not even".
Checked 31 Oct 2026 · 2 facts
- Anomaly comes from Greek through Latin. en.wiktionary.org
- The underlying Greek word means irregular or not even. en.wiktionary.org