aberration

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See also: Aberration

English[edit]

English Wikipedia has an article on:
Wikipedia

Etymology[edit]

A learned borrowing from Latin aberrātiō (“relief, diversion”), first attested in 1594 [1], from aberrō (“wander away, go astray”), from ab (“away”) + errō (“wander”)[2]. Compare French aberration. Equivalent to aberrate +‎ -ion.

Pronunciation[edit]

  • (US) IPA(key): /ˌæb.əˈɹeɪ.ʃn̩/
  • Audio (US)
    		(file)

Noun[edit]

aberration (countable and uncountable, plural aberrations)

  1. The act of wandering; deviation from truth, moral rectitude; abnormal; divergence from the straight, correct, proper, normal, or from the natural state. [Late 16th century.][3]
    the aberration of youth
    aberrations from theory
    aberration of character
    • 1961 December, “Talking of Trains: Derailment near Laindon”, in Trains Illustrated, page 717:
      A derailment which occurred on April 18 last between Laindon and Pitsea on the London Tilbury & Southend Line was caused by a lengthman who in a moment of aberration clipped a set of spring catch points in the derailing position, concludes Col. J. R. H. Robertson in his report [...].
  2. (optics) 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. [Mid 18th century.][3]
  3. (astronomy) A small periodical change of position in the stars and other heavenly bodies, due to the combined effect of the motion of light and the motion of the observer. [Mid 18th century.][3]
    1. (astronomy, by extension) The tendency of light rays to preferentially strike the leading face of a moving object (the effect underlying the above phenomenon).
  4. A partial alienation of reason. [Early 19th century.][3]
    • 1819, John Lingard, The History of England, From the First Invasion by the Romans to the Accession of Henry VIII:
      Occasional aberrations of intellect
    • 1828, Isaac Taylor, The balance of criminality:
      We see indeed the aberrations of unruly appetite
  5. A mental disorder, especially one of a minor or temporary character. [Early 19th century.][3]
  6. (zoology, botany) Atypical development or structure; deviation from the normal type; an aberrant organ. [Mid 19th century.][3]
  7. (medicine) A deviation of a tissue, organ or mental functions from what is considered to be within the normal range.

Derived terms[edit]

Related terms[edit]

► English terms derived from the Proto-Indo-European root *h₁ers-‎ (0 c, 6 e)

Translations[edit]

The translations below need to be checked and inserted above into the appropriate translation tables, removing any numbers. Numbers do not necessarily match those in definitions. See instructions at Wiktionary:Entry layout § Translations.
Translations to be checked

References[edit]

  1. ^ Aberration at Dictionary.com
  2. ^ Elliott K. Dobbie, C. William Dunmore, Robert K. Barnhart, et al. (editors), Chambers Dictionary of Etymology (Chambers Harrap Publishers Ltd, 2004 [1998], →ISBN), page 2
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 3.5 Lesley Brown, editor-in-chief; William R. Trumble and Angus Stevenson, editors (2002) , “aberration”, in The Shorter Oxford English Dictionary on Historical Principles, 5th edition, Oxford; New York, N.Y.: Oxford University Press, →ISBN, page 4

French[edit]

Etymology[edit]

From Latin aberrationem, aberratio.

Pronunciation[edit]

Noun[edit]

aberration f (plural aberrations)

  1. aberration
  2. the state of being aberrant
  3. (astronomy) aberration
  4. (optics) aberration
  5. (physiology) aberration or mutation

Related terms[edit]

Further reading[edit]

Anagrams[edit]

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