Anomaly
Meaning: Something that differs from what is standard, normal, or expected.
Examples
- At first, the astronomers dismissed the unusual dip in the star's brightness as an equipment anomaly, but repeated observations showed it was real.
- The researchers flagged one participant's results as an anomaly because they differed sharply from every other measurement.
Synonyms and antonyms
Synonyms:
irregularityaberrationdeviationoddity
Antonyms:
normstandardregularity
Memory tip
It comes from Greek "a-" (not) plus homalos (even), so an anomaly is something that doesn't line up evenly with the rest.
Practice question
Which choice completes the text with the most logical and precise word or phrase?
Most samples from the lake showed low mercury levels, so the single sample with very high levels was treated as ______ and retested.
Answer: B) an anomaly
One result that differs sharply from all the others is out of the ordinary.
Make “anomaly” stick
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