anomaly
Say it: uh-NOM-uh-lee /əˈnɑməli/ · noun
What “anomaly” means
Something different from what's normal or expected.
More precisely: Something that deviates from what is normal or expected.
Example: “One huge sale in March was an anomaly, not a trend.”
When to use it
In fairly formal discussion of patterns or results, when one thing stands out as unusual and needs explaining.
Similar words
irregularity, outlier, oddity
Where it comes from
From Greek anōmalia, "unevenness."
Quick check
Every tomato on the plant is round and red except one that grows long and yellow. The odd tomato is…
a trend or an anomaly?
Show the answer
an anomaly
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