adjective

aberrant

uh-BAIR-unt/əˈberənt/

Departing from what is normal or expected.

A single red flower shows aberrant coloring among the yellow flowers.

One red flower grows among a field of otherwise yellow flowers.

Etymology

abLatinaway

+errLatinto wander, stray

+antLatinpresent participle ending

The pieces picture wandering away from a course. Applied figuratively, the course becomes a normal pattern or expected standard, so something aberrant departs from what usually occurs.

In context

National Academies - Earth and Life Studies72:16

when the ribosome stops at one of these modifications this causes the ribosomes to collide eventually signaling for the degradation of the nascent polypeptide chain and the aberrant mRNA

DAY 1: Toward Sequencing and Mapping of RNA Modifications: A Workshop

More examples

The study compared typical and aberrant growth.
His aberrant behavior worried his colleagues.
One aberrant result did not overturn the pattern.

Forms

aberrant · more aberrant · most aberrant

aberration noun — a departure from an expected pattern

Similar words

atypical: Atypical means not representative; aberrant often suggests a marked departure from an expected pattern.
anomalous: Anomalous means inconsistent with expectations; aberrant can emphasize deviation in behavior or development.