NYT Dictionary

ABNORMAL

/ˌæbˈnɔɹ.ml̩/
AdjectiveNounab-NOR-malab-nor-mal · 3 syllablesGrade 6

Accepted in official NYT Spelling Bee puzzle years: 2019, 2021, 2023

Meaning

Not conforming to rule or system; deviating from the usual or normal type.

Etymology

Origin: Latin

Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *h₂ep Proto-Indo-European *-o Proto-Indo-European *h₂epó Proto-Italic *ap Latin abder. Latin ab-bor. English ab- Proto-Indo-European *ǵneh₃- Proto-Indo-European *-sḱéti Proto-Indo-European *ǵn̥h₃sḱétider. Proto-Hellenic *gignṓskō Ancient Greek γιγνώσκω (gignṓskō) Proto-Indo-European *-mṓ Ancient Greek -μων (-mōn) Ancient Greek γνώμων (gnṓmōn)bor. Etruscanbor.? Latin norma Proto-Indo-European *h₂el- Proto-Indo-European *-is Proto-Indo-European *h₂élisder.? Proto-Italic *-ālis Latin -ālis Latin nōrmālisder. English normal English abnormal From ab- + normal. First attested in 1835, replacing the earlier anormal and even earlier abnormous, from Latin abnormis (“departing from normal”), from either ab- (“away from”) + norma (“rule, norm”), or Ancient Greek ἀνώμαλος (anṓmalos).

Synonyms & Antonyms

Synonyms

aberrantanomalousatypicalexceptionalextraordinaryirregularpreternaturalstrangeunusualunnatural

Antonyms

NYT Puzzle Appearances

Accepted in 1 recorded puzzle, including a pangram:

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