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anomaly

uh-NOM-uh-lee /əˈnɒm.ə.li/

nounC1GRESATTOEFL

academicformalgeneral

Something that deviates from what is standard, normal, or expected within a given framework.

In science, an anomaly is an unexpected observation that cannot be explained by current theories, often triggering a paradigm shift.

The story behind the word. From Ancient Greek 'anōmalia', meaning inequality or unevenness. It joined English scientific discourse in the 17th century to describe irregular astronomical movements.

Word relationships

aberration: Aberration implies a temporary lapse or departure from a normal state, whereas an anomaly can be a persistent flaw in a model.
irregularity: Irregularity often suggests a flaw in structure or rule, while anomaly highlights incompatibility with expectations.

norm: Norm refers to the standard or expected state of affairs.
conformity: Conformity denotes alignment with established rules or patterns.

Commonly confused with

anonymity: Anonymity means being unknown or nameless, whereas an anomaly is an unusual occurrence or exception.

Word family

anomalous (adjective): Deviating from what is standard, normal, or expected
anomalously (adverb): In an anomalous manner

Collocations

anomalous data
statistical anomaly
explain an anomaly
glaring anomaly

Example sentences

"The anomalous perihelion precession of Mercury was an anomaly that Newtonian physics could never explain." Astronomical history
"Accumulated anomalies eventually force scientists to question their most trusted theories." Scientific philosophy

Memory hook

AN ABNORMAL NORM (an-omaly) breaks the smooth expectation. The odd puzzle piece.

When not to use

Do not use for deliberate moral wrongdoings or simple mistakes.

Fun facts

The orbit of Uranus showed small anomalies that led astronomers to predict and discover Neptune in 1846 using math alone.