Anomaly

/əˈnɒm.ə.li/

Meaning & Definition

noun

something that deviates from what is standard, normal, or expected.

The sudden drop in temperature in June was an anomaly that puzzled meteorologists.

a departure from what is normal or expected, often indicating a problem or irregularity.

The patient's test results showed an anomaly that required further investigation.

a person or thing that is atypical of a general rule.

Her success in the industry was seen as an anomaly, given the lack of female leaders.

a defect or irregularity in a system or data.

Scientists noted an anomaly in the data collected from the experiment.

an inconsistency or irregularity in a set of observations.

The research team encountered an anomaly in their findings that led to new questions.

Derived from the Greek word 'anomalos' meaning 'irregular', from 'a-' meaning 'not' and 'homalos' meaning 'even' or 'ordinary'.

statistical anomaly

A data point that significantly deviates from the average.

anomaly detection

The identification of rare items, events, or observations that raise suspicions by differing significantly from the majority of the data.

anomaly report

A document outlining any observed irregularities in data or processes.

abnormal

Deviating from what is normal or typical.

irregular

Not conforming to established rules or norms.

exception

A case that does not follow the general rule.

Something out of the ordinary, cool or unique.

That car is an anomaly; I've never seen one like it!

An unexpected or odd situation, often humorous.

His reaction was an anomaly; usually, he's very composed.