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Definition of abnormal adjective from the Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary

abnormal

adjective
 
/æbˈnɔːml/
 
/æbˈnɔːrml/
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  1. different from what is usual or expected, especially in a way that worries somebody or is harmful or not wanted
    • abnormal levels of sugar in the blood
    • They thought his behaviour was abnormal.
    • The ship was blown off course by abnormal weather conditions.
    opposite normal
    Extra Examples
    • Abnormal behaviour in zoo animals is often due to the stress of captivity.
    • It is not abnormal for public figures to have to deal with this type of pressure.
    • Anything that is abnormal for your child, whether not sleeping well, not eating well, or not talking as much, could be a warning sign.
    • He was very quick to notice anything abnormal.
    • They made me feel like I was abnormal.
    • The accidents were due to abnormal weather conditions.
    • The test detects abnormal cells that could become cancerous.
    • There was nothing abnormal about her reaction.
    Oxford Collocations DictionaryAbnormal is used with these nouns:
    • cell
    • development
    • gene
    See full entry
    Word Originmid 19th cent.: alteration (by association with Latin abnormis ‘monstrous’) of 16th-cent. anormal, from French, variant of anomal, via Latin from Greek anōmalos(from an- ‘not’ + homalos ‘even’)
See abnormal in the Oxford Advanced American DictionarySee abnormal in the Oxford Learner's Dictionary of Academic English
halfway
adverb
 
 
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