anormal

Anormal is an adjective used to describe something that deviates from what is considered normal. It can apply to behavior, events, measurements, or appearances that are unusual, atypical, or outside expected ranges. The term is common in several languages, including Portuguese and Turkish, and carries a spectrum of nuance from merely uncommon to potentially problematic.

Etymology and usage vary by language. In many Romance and related languages, anormal is a direct cognate of the English abnormal, formed by adding a negating prefix to normal. In English, the spelling anormal exists but is rare and mostly found in technical, regional, or multilingual contexts; more common English equivalents are abnormal or anomalous.

In practice, anormal appears across disciplines. In medicine and biology, it often denotes findings that fall outside established reference ranges, such as lab results or imaging observations that require further evaluation. In statistics and data analysis, it can refer to values or patterns that do not fit the expected distribution or model, sometimes described as anomalies or outliers. In everyday language, it may simply signal something unusual without implying disease or dysfunction.

Usage considerations are important. The term can carry sensitive connotations when describing people or mental states; many style guides prefer alternatives like abnormal, atypical, or unusual depending on the context and intended tone. As with any term signaling deviation from the norm, clarity and audience awareness are key. See also abnormal, anomaly, outlier.