English
anomaly
Anomaly comes from Latin anōmalia ‘irregularity, anomaly’, from Ancient Greek ὁμᾰλός ‘even, level’, and ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *sem- ‘one, whole’.
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*sem-‘one, whole’reconstructed
- Proto-Indo-European, derivedc. 4500–2500 BCE*sem-h₂-lo-sreconstructed
- Ancient Greekc. 800–300 BCEὁμᾰλόςhomălós‘even, level’
- Ancient Greek, derivedc. 800–300 BCEἀνώμαλοςanṓmalos‘irregular, uneven’
- Ancient Greek, derivedc. 800–300 BCEἀνωμαλίαanōmalía‘irregularity, anomaly’
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEanōmalia‘irregularity, anomaly’
- Englishearliest quotation 1956anomaly
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed
Lineage
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*sem-‘one, whole’reconstructed
- Proto-Indo-European, derivedc. 4500–2500 BCE*sem-h₂-lo-sreconstructed
- Ancient Greekc. 800–300 BCEὁμᾰλόςhomălós‘even, level’
- Ancient Greek, derivedc. 800–300 BCEἀνώμαλοςanṓmalos‘irregular, uneven’
- Ancient Greek, derivedc. 800–300 BCEἀνωμαλίαanōmalía‘irregularity, anomaly’
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEanōmalia‘irregularity, anomaly’
- Englishearliest quotation 1956anomaly
Earliest quotation: 1956, Arthur C. Clarke, The City and the Stars: “This ardent exploration, absorbing all his energy and interest,…”
Linked words
through Proto-Indo-European *sem- ‘one, whole’
some, same, single, similar, seem, simple, simply, soft, sam, simulation, singular, resemble, sincerely, assemble, resemblance, simulate, simultaneous, sincerity, assimilate, semblance, synapse, homeopathic, insincere, hyphen, homology, simile, simulacrum, sempre, synchronise, homolog, 47 more
Today it means
noun A deviation from a rule or from what is regarded as normal; an outlier.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Proto-Indo-European *sem- / anomaly