noun
anomaly
uh-NOM-uh-lih
noun
1
Something that deviates from what is normal or expected; an irregularity.
"The auditors flagged an anomaly in the company's accounts."
"Astronomers spotted an anomaly in the star's brightness."
How to Use Anomaly
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishSomething odd or unexpected that doesn't fit the usual pattern.
Common pairings
statistical anomaly
flag an anomaly
detect an anomaly
Word Forms
anomalies plural
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Etymology
From Latin anomalia, from Ancient Greek anomalia ("irregularity"), from anomalos ("uneven"), the opposite of homalos ("even, level").