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Dictionary

Words, grammatical forms and meanings linked to the ontology.

aberration en · NOUN

Pronunciation

  • /ˌæb.əˈɹeɪ.ʃn̩/ (US)
  • (US) audio

Etymology

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.

Meanings

  1. (countable, uncountable) The act of wandering; deviation from truth, moral rectitude; abnormal; divergence from the straight, correct, proper, normal, or from the natural state.
    • 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 […]. 1961 December, “Talking of Trains: Derailment near Laindon”, in Trains Illustrated, page 717:
    • aberration of character
    • Our ancien regime, like the aristocracy of pre-revolutionary France, thought the party would never end. 2016 shook their historicist faith in the arc of the moral universe but by 2020 they hoped to write Trump off as an aberration. In retrospect, 2020 was the aberration, the rearguard action of a struggling regime and its struldbrugg ruler. 2025 January 10, Peter Thiel, “A time for truth and reconciliation”, in Financial Times:
    • the aberration of youth
    • The bulk of questionable experimentation upon African Americans is not detailed here because much of it consists of aberrations in therapeutics that were ostensibly meant to cure. 2008, Harriet A. Washington, “Introduction”, in Medical Apartheid, Knopf Doubleday Publishing Group, page 30:
    • aberrations from theory
  2. (countable, uncountable) 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.
  3. (countable, uncountable) 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.
  4. (broadly, countable, uncountable) 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. ▸ The tendency of light rays to preferentially strike the leading face of a moving object (the effect underlying the above phenomenon).
  5. (countable, uncountable) A partial alienation of reason.
    • Occasional aberrations of intellect 1819, John Lingard, The History of England, From the First Invasion by the Romans to the Accession of Henry VIII:
    • We see indeed the aberrations of unruly appetite 1828, Isaac Taylor, The balance of criminality:
  6. (countable, qualifier:roleplaying games, uncountable) Any creature with supernatural powers not found in the organized classes of beings in a given setting.
    • Only by submitting to the aberration could the human traders travel safely through the territory of Zularn.
  7. (countable, uncountable) A mental disorder, especially one of a minor or temporary character.
  8. (countable, uncountable) Atypical development or structure; deviation from the normal type; an aberrant organ.
  9. (countable, uncountable) A deviation of a tissue, organ or mental functions from what is considered to be within the normal range.
  10. (countable, uncountable) A defect in an image produced by an optical or electrostatic lens system.

Forms

SpellingFeaturesLabelsSource
aberrations Number=Plur lexicographic

Deriveds

planetary aberration · chromatic aberration · aberratic · lateral aberration · aberrationless · mental aberration · longitudinal aberration · diopteric aberration · crown of aberration · aberration of light · microaberration · aberrational · spherical aberration · diurnal aberration · annual aberration

Translations (147)

kk аберрация (optics: convergence to different foci) · fi poikkeama (optics: convergence to different foci) · ru заблужде́ние (partial alienation of reason) · ga seachrán (partial alienation of reason) · de Abweichung (zoology, botany: atypical development or structure) · fi harhautuminen (act of wandering or deviation; abnormality) · sh devijacija (act of wandering or deviation; abnormality) · de Aberration (zoology, botany: atypical development or structure) · tr sapkınlık (act of wandering or deviation; abnormality) · es enajenación mental (minor or temporary mental disorder) · ru умопомраче́ние (minor or temporary mental disorder) · bg абера́ция (act of wandering or deviation; abnormality) · nb aberrasjon (zoology, botany: atypical development or structure) · fi säännöttömyys (act of wandering or deviation; abnormality) · it aberrazione (optics: convergence to different foci) · fi poikkeama (act of wandering or deviation; abnormality) · de Aberration (act of wandering or deviation; abnormality) · sk aberácia (optics: convergence to different foci) · pt aberração (astronomy: small periodical change of position of heavenly bodies) · ro aberație (astronomy: small periodical change of position of heavenly bodies) · de Abweichung (minor or temporary mental disorder) · bg отклоняване (act of wandering or deviation; abnormality) · fi aberraatio (astronomy: small periodical change of position of heavenly bodies) · de Aberration (partial alienation of reason) · nl aberratie (optics: convergence to different foci) · pt aberração (optics: convergence to different foci) · da aberration (astronomy: small periodical change of position of heavenly bodies) · it aberrazione (zoology, botany: atypical development or structure) · de Aberration (optics: convergence to different foci) · fr aberration (optics: convergence to different foci) · ga iomrall (zoology, botany: atypical development or structure) · fi eksyminen (act of wandering or deviation; abnormality) · fi aberraatio (zoology, botany: atypical development or structure) · nl afwijkend exemplaar (zoology, botany: atypical development or structure) · it alienazione (partial alienation of reason) · ro aberație (act of wandering or deviation; abnormality) · de Abweichung (medicine: deviation from normal range) · nl afwijking (act of wandering or deviation; abnormality) · el εκτροπή (act of wandering or deviation; abnormality) · vi quang sai (optics: convergence to different foci) · ru отклоне́ние (act of wandering or deviation; abnormality) · nb aberrasjon (optics: convergence to different foci) · ga iomrall (astronomy: small periodical change of position of heavenly bodies) · ia aberration (act of wandering or deviation; abnormality) · es aberración (minor or temporary mental disorder) · el εκκεντρικότητα (minor or temporary mental disorder) · es aberración (act of wandering or deviation; abnormality) · cmn 像差 (optics: convergence to different foci) · fi poikkeama (medicine: deviation from normal range) · ca aberració (partial alienation of reason) · no villfarelse (partial alienation of reason) · ga iomrall (act of wandering or deviation; abnormality) · fi erehdys (partial alienation of reason) · el λοξοδρόμηση (act of wandering or deviation; abnormality) · sh odstupanje (act of wandering or deviation; abnormality) · fi ajatusvirhe (partial alienation of reason) · el παρέκκλιση (medicine: deviation from normal range) · pt aberração (zoology, botany: atypical development or structure) · fi aberraatio (medicine: deviation from normal range) · es perturbación mental (minor or temporary mental disorder) · pl aberracja (minor or temporary mental disorder) · fi harhapolku (partial alienation of reason) · fi harhamuunnos (zoology, botany: atypical development or structure) · fi hairahdus (act of wandering or deviation; abnormality) · hu tévút (act of wandering or deviation; abnormality) · es trastorno mental (minor or temporary mental disorder) · it deviazione (act of wandering or deviation; abnormality) · bg абера́ция (optics: convergence to different foci) · ro aberație (partial alienation of reason) · es aberración (optics: convergence to different foci) · vi tính sai (astronomy: small periodical change of position of heavenly bodies) · cs aberace (optics: convergence to different foci) · kk аберрация (astronomy: small periodical change of position of heavenly bodies) · ru аберра́ция (medicine: deviation from normal range) · nl aberratie (minor or temporary mental disorder) · ga seachrán (act of wandering or deviation; abnormality) · bg умопомрачение (minor or temporary mental disorder) · cmn 失常 (act of wandering or deviation; abnormality) · it aberrazione (astronomy: small periodical change of position of heavenly bodies) · tr sapma (act of wandering or deviation; abnormality) · fr anomalie (act of wandering or deviation; abnormality) · de Abweichung (act of wandering or deviation; abnormality) · ru отклоне́ние (medicine: deviation from normal range) · es aberración (partial alienation of reason) · sk aberácia (astronomy: small periodical change of position of heavenly bodies) · hu aberráció (astronomy: small periodical change of position of heavenly bodies) · de Abartigkeit (act of wandering or deviation; abnormality) · da aberration (optics: convergence to different foci) · es enfermedad mental (minor or temporary mental disorder) · it aberrazione (act of wandering or deviation; abnormality) · de Aberration (minor or temporary mental disorder) · fi poikkeavuus (act of wandering or deviation; abnormality) · ru аберра́ция (zoology, botany: atypical development or structure) · el παρέκκλιση (minor or temporary mental disorder) · ga saobhadh (minor or temporary mental disorder) · ar زَيْغ (optics: convergence to different foci) · el παρέκκλιση (act of wandering or deviation; abnormality) · bg абера́ция (astronomy: small periodical change of position of heavenly bodies) · ro aberație (optics: convergence to different foci) · es aberración (zoology, botany: atypical development or structure) · es aberración (medicine: deviation from normal range) · es locura (partial alienation of reason) · ar اِنْزِيَاغ (act of wandering or deviation; abnormality) · nl aberratie (medicine: deviation from normal range) · eo aberacio (optics: convergence to different foci) · tr aberasyon (astronomy: small periodical change of position of heavenly bodies) · ru аберра́ция (astronomy: small periodical change of position of heavenly bodies) · fr aberration (astronomy: small periodical change of position of heavenly bodies) · ka ცდომილება (act of wandering or deviation; abnormality) · de Aberration (astronomy: small periodical change of position of heavenly bodies) · ga iomrall (optics: convergence to different foci) · fi poikkeama (minor or temporary mental disorder) · sh zastranjenje (act of wandering or deviation; abnormality) · de Verirrung (act of wandering or deviation; abnormality) · pt aberração (partial alienation of reason) · sa भ्रंश (act of wandering or deviation; abnormality) · bg абера́ция (zoology, botany: atypical development or structure) · pl aberracja (astronomy: small periodical change of position of heavenly bodies) · ru аберра́ция (optics: convergence to different foci) · ro deviere (minor or temporary mental disorder) · es alienación (partial alienation of reason) · hu aberráció (partial alienation of reason) · pt aberração (act of wandering or deviation; abnormality) · nl aberratie (act of wandering or deviation; abnormality) · fi aberraatio (optics: convergence to different foci) · tr sapınç (astronomy: small periodical change of position of heavenly bodies) · fr anormalité (act of wandering or deviation; abnormality) · no avvik (act of wandering or deviation; abnormality) · ga iomrall (partial alienation of reason) · nb aberrasjon (astronomy: small periodical change of position of heavenly bodies) · km ការភ្លាត់ភ្លាំង (act of wandering or deviation; abnormality) · kk аберрация (zoology, botany: atypical development or structure) · nl aberratie (astronomy: small periodical change of position of heavenly bodies) · ka გადახრა (act of wandering or deviation; abnormality) · ro deviație (act of wandering or deviation; abnormality) · hu tévelygés (act of wandering or deviation; abnormality) · nl aberratie (zoology, botany: atypical development or structure) · ca aberració (act of wandering or deviation; abnormality) · fa ابیراهی (act of wandering or deviation; abnormality) · ar زَيْغ (astronomy: small periodical change of position of heavenly bodies) · ka აბერაცია (optics: convergence to different foci) · pt aberração (medicine: deviation from normal range) · es aberración (astronomy: small periodical change of position of heavenly bodies) · eo aberacio (astronomy: small periodical change of position of heavenly bodies) · fi aberraatio (minor or temporary mental disorder) · nn aberrasjon (astronomy: small periodical change of position of heavenly bodies) · bg отклонение (act of wandering or deviation; abnormality)