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a·nom·a·ly

(ə-nŏmə-lē)

n. pl. a·nom·a·lies

1. Deviation or departure from the normal or common order, form, or rule.

2. One that is peculiar, irregular, abnormal, or difficult to classify: "Both men are anomalies: they have ... likable personalities but each has made his reputation as a heavy" (David Pauly).

3. Astronomy The angular deviation, as observed from the sun, of a planet from its perihelion.

a·nom′a·listic adj.

a·nom′a·listi·cal·ly adv.

Indo-European & Semitic Roots Appendices

Thousands of entries in the dictionary include etymologies that trace their origins back to reconstructed proto-languages. You can obtain more information about these forms in our online appendices:

Indo-European Roots

Semitic Roots

The Indo-European appendix covers nearly half of the Indo-European roots that have left their mark on English words. A more complete treatment of Indo-European roots and the English words derived from them is available in our Dictionary of Indo-European Roots.

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