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Anomaly vs Idiosyncrasy - What's the difference?

anomaly | idiosyncrasy |

As nouns the difference between anomaly and idiosyncrasy

is that anomaly is a deviation from a rule or from what is regarded as normal while idiosyncrasy is a behavior or way of thinking that is characteristic of a person.

anomaly

Noun

(anomalies)
  • A deviation from a rule or from what is regarded as normal.
  • * 1956 — , The City and the Stars , p 43
  • This ardent exploration, absorbing all his energy and interest, made him forget for the moment the mystery of his heritage and the anomaly that cut him off from all his fellows.
  • Something or someone that is strange or unusual.
  • He is an anomaly among his friends.
  • (science) Any event or measurement that is out of the ordinary regardless of whether it is exceptional or not.
  • (astronomy) Any of various angular distances.
  • (biology) A defect or malformation.
  • (quantum physics) A failure of a classical symmetry due to quantum corrections.
  • (dated) An irregularity or disproportion.
  • Synonyms

    * (deviation from the norm) abnormality, deviance, deviation, exception, inconsistency, irregularity, phenomenon

    Derived terms

    () * anomaloscope * anomalous * eccentric anomaly * flyby anomaly * mean anomaly * true anomaly

    idiosyncrasy

    Noun

    (idiosyncrasies)
  • A behavior or way of thinking that is characteristic of a person.
  • A language or behaviour that is particular to an individual or group.
  • (medicine) A peculiar individual reaction to a generally innocuous substance or factor.
  • A peculiarity that serves to distinguish or identify.
  • He mastered the idiosyncrasies of English spelling.

    Synonyms

    * eccentricity * foible * habit * mannerism * oddity * quirk * vagary

    Derived terms

    (derived terms) * idiosyncratic * idiosyncratically

    See also

    * eccentricity * habit * peculiarity * speciality * specialness * specialty * trait

    References

    * *