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Origin and history of anomaly

anomaly(n.)

1570s, "unevenness;" 1660s, "deviation from the common rule," from Latin anomalia, from Greek anomalia "inequality," abstract noun from anomalos "uneven, irregular," from an- "not" (see an- (1)) + homalos "even," from homos "same" (from PIE root *sem- (1) "one; as one, together with"). From 1722 as "something abnormal or irregular."

anomaly

also from 1570s

Entries linking to anomaly

abnormal(adj.)

"not conformed or conforming to rule, deviating from a type or standard, contrary to system or law, irregular, unnatural," 1835, a refashioning of anormal (q.v.) under influence of Latin abnormalis "deviating from a fixed rule, irregular," from ab "off, away from" (see ab-) + norma "rule" (see norm).

The older form was from French anormal (13c.), from Medieval Latin anormalus, an altered (by association with norma) borrowing of Greek anomalos "uneven, irregular," from an- "not" (see an- (1)) + homalos "even," from homos "same" (from PIE root *sem- (1) "one; as one, together with"). Compare anomaly. "Few words show such a series of pseudo-etymological perversions" [Weekley]. Another adjective was abnormous (1742) "irregular, misshapen," from Latin abnormis. Related: Abnormally.

anormal(adj.)

"not according to rule, abnormal," 1812, from French anormal, from Medieval Latin anormalus, a corruption of anomalus (from Greek anomalos "uneven, irregular;" see anomaly), as if from Latin ab "away" + norma "rule, pattern." In 20c., it was used as "an antonym of 'normal' when the association of 'abnormal', i.e. 'unhealthy', 'unnatural', would be inappropriate" [OED].

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