# aberration
## English
### Etymology

A learned borrowing from Latin aberrātiō(n) (“relief, diversion”), first attested in 1594, from aberrō (“wander away, go astray”), from ab (“away”) + errō (“wander”). Compare French aberration. By surface analysis, aberrat(e) +‎ -ion.

### Pronunciation

* (US) IPA: /ˌæb.əˈɹeɪ.ʃn̩/
* Audio (US):(file)

### Noun

aberration (countable and uncountable, plural aberrations)
* The act of wandering; deviation from truth, moral rectitude; abnormal; divergence from the straight, correct, proper, normal, or from the natural state. [Late 16th century.]
    the aberration of youth
    aberrations from theory
    aberration of character
** 1961 December, “Talking of Trains: Derailment near Laindon”, in Trains Illustrated, page 717:A derailment which occurred on April 18 last between Laindon and Pitsea on the London Tilbury & Southend Line was caused by a lengthman who in a moment of aberration clipped a set of spring catch points in the derailing position, concludes Col. J. R. H. Robertson in his report [...].
* (optics) The convergence to different foci, by a lens or mirror, of rays of light emanating from one and the same point, or the deviation of such rays from a single focus; a defect in a focusing mechanism that prevents the intended focal point. [Mid 18th century.]
* (astronomy) A small periodical change of the apparent positions of the stars and other heavenly bodies, due to the combined effect of the motion of light and the motion of the observer. [Mid 18th century.]
** (astronomy, by extension) The tendency of light rays to preferentially strike the leading face of a moving object (the effect underlying the above phenomenon).
* A partial alienation of reason. [Early 19th century.]
** 1819, John Lingard, The History of England, From the First Invasion by the Romans to the Accession of Henry VIII:Occasional aberrations of intellect
** 1828, Isaac Taylor, The balance of criminality:We see indeed the aberrations of unruly appetite
* (fantasy, roleplaying games) Any creature with supernatural powers not found in the organized classes of beings in a given setting.
    Only by submitting to the aberration could the human traders travel safely through the territory of Zularn.
* A mental disorder, especially one of a minor or temporary character. [Early 19th century.]
* (zoology, botany) Atypical development or structure; deviation from the normal type; an aberrant organ. [Mid 19th century.]
* (medicine) A deviation of a tissue, organ or mental functions from what is considered to be within the normal range.
* (electronics) A defect in an image produced by an optical or electrostatic lens system.

#### Derived terms

* aberratic
* aberrational
* aberrationless
* aberration of light
* annual aberration
* chromatic aberration
* crown of aberration
* diopteric aberration
* diurnal aberration
* lateral aberration
* longitudinal aberration
* mental aberration
* microaberration
* planetary aberration
* spherical aberration

#### Translations

    The translations below need to be checked and inserted above into the appropriate translation tables. See instructions at Wiktionary:Entry layout § Translations.

### References

* ↑ Aberration at Dictionary.com
* ↑ Elliott K. Dobbie, C. William Dunmore, Robert K. Barnhart, et al. (editors), Chambers Dictionary of Etymology (Chambers Harrap Publishers Ltd, 2004 [1998], →ISBN), page 2
* 1 2 3 4 5 6 Lesley Brown, editor-in-chief, William R. Trumble and Angus Stevenson, editors (2002), “aberration”, in The Shorter Oxford English Dictionary on Historical Principles, 5th edition, Oxford, New York, N.Y.: Oxford University Press, →ISBN, page 4.
* ↑ Penguin Dictionary of Electronics, Fourth Edition, 2005. Penguin Books: London.

## Danish
### Noun

aberration c (singular definite aberrationen, plural indefinite aberrationer)
* (astronomy) aberration
* (optics) aberration

#### Declension
### Further reading

* “aberration” in Den Danske Ordbog

## French
### Etymology

Unadapted borrowing from Latin aberrātiō(n) (“relief, diversion”), from aberr(ā) (“wander away, go astray”) (from ab (“away”) + errō (“wander”)) + -tiō(n) (suffix forming nouns relating to actions or their results). Compare English aberration.

### Pronunciation

* IPA: /a.bɛ.ʁa.sjɔ̃/ ~ /a.be.ʁa.sjɔ̃/
* Audio:(file)

### Noun

aberration f (plural aberrations)
* aberration
* the state of being aberrant
* (astronomy) aberration
* (optics) aberration
* (physiology) aberration or mutation

#### Related terms

* aberrer

### Further reading

* “aberration”, in Trésor de la langue française informatisé [Digitized Treasury of the French Language], 2012.

### Anagrams

* abornerait, arboraient