abnormal

English

Alternative forms

Etymology

From ab- +‎ normal. First attested in 1835, replacing the earlier anormal and even earlier abnormous,[1] from Latin abnormis (“departing from normal”), from either (ab- (“away from”) + norma (“rule, norm”)),[2] or Ancient Greek ἀνώμαλος (anṓmalos)[3].

Pronunciation

  • Audio (US)(file)
  • (US) IPA(key): /ˈæbˌnɔɹ.ml̩/, /əbˈnɔɹ.ml̩/
  • Rhymes: -ɔː(ɹ)məl

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

Derived terms

Translations

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.

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), page 3
  2. ↑ Morris, William, editor (1969) The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, New York, NY: American Heritage Publishing Co., Inc., published 1971, →ISBN, page 3
  3. ↑ “abnormal” in Christine A. Lindberg, editor, The Oxford College Dictionary, 2nd edition, New York, N.Y.: Spark Publishing, 2002, →ISBN, page 3.
  4. 1 2 Lesley Brown (editor), The Shorter Oxford English Dictionary, 5th edition (Oxford University Press, 2003 [1933], →ISBN), page 6

German

Pronunciation

  • Audio(file)

Adjective

abnormal (comparative abnormaler, superlative am abnormalsten)

  1. abnormal

Declension

Comparative forms of abnormal
number & gender singular plural
masculine feminine neuter all genders
predicative er ist abnormaler sie ist abnormaler es ist abnormaler sie sind abnormaler
strong declension
(without article)		 nominative abnormalerer abnormalere abnormaleres abnormalere
genitive abnormaleren abnormalerer abnormaleren abnormalerer
dative abnormalerem abnormalerer abnormalerem abnormaleren
accusative abnormaleren abnormalere abnormaleres abnormalere
weak declension
(with definite article)		 nominative der abnormalere die abnormalere das abnormalere die abnormaleren
genitive des abnormaleren der abnormaleren des abnormaleren der abnormaleren
dative dem abnormaleren der abnormaleren dem abnormaleren den abnormaleren
accusative den abnormaleren die abnormalere das abnormalere die abnormaleren
mixed declension
(with indefinite article)		 nominative ein abnormalerer eine abnormalere ein abnormaleres (keine) abnormaleren
genitive eines abnormaleren einer abnormaleren eines abnormaleren (keiner) abnormaleren
dative einem abnormaleren einer abnormaleren einem abnormaleren (keinen) abnormaleren
accusative einen abnormaleren eine abnormalere ein abnormaleres (keine) abnormaleren

Further reading

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