aberration

CEFRC2

/ˌæb.əˈɹeɪ.ʃn̩/

noun

Türkçe translations

Translating…

In plain English

  1. 01

    noun

    Something unusual that differs from what is normal.

  2. 02

    noun

    Extra detail

    A small periodical change of the apparent positions of the stars and other heavenly bodies, due to the combined effect of the motion of light and the motion of the observer.

Examples

  • Owing to a strange mental aberration, Tom forgot his own name.

  • It wasn't an aberration.

At a glance

Sits at C2 on the CEFR scale

Senses
5
Parts of speech
1
Citations
5

Deep Dive

noun

Extra meanings

  1. The convergence to different foci, by a lens or mirror, of rays of light emanating from one and the same point, or the deviation of such rays from a single focus; a defect in a focusing mechanism that prevents the intended focal point.

  2. The act of wandering; deviation from truth, moral rectitude; abnormal; divergence from the straight, correct, proper, normal, or from the natural state.

  3. A partial alienation of reason.

More examples

In context

  • the aberration of youth

  • aberration of character

  • aberrations from theory

Quick test

Two questions on this entry. Nothing is scored.

Question 1 · Quick check

The sudden snowstorm in July was a climatic blank that surprised even the most experienced meteorologists.

Practise this properly in the app, where the word comes back before you forget it.

Nearby

Origin

noun

A learned borrowing from Latin aberrātiō(n) (“relief, diversion”), first attested in 1594, from aberrō (“wander away, go astray”), from ab (“away”) + errō (“wander”). Compare French aberration. By surface analysis, aberrat(e) + -ion.