aberration: Meaning and Definition of
ab•er•ra•tion
Pronunciation: (ab"u-rā'shun), [key] — n.
- the act of departing from the right, normal, or usual course.
- the act of deviating from the ordinary, usual, or normal type.
- deviation from truth or moral rectitude.
- mental irregularity or disorder, esp. of a minor or temporary nature; lapse from a sound mental state.
- apparent displacement of a heavenly body, owing to the motion of the earth in its orbit.
- any disturbance of the rays of a pencil of light such that they can no longer be brought to a sharp focus or form a clear image.
- a defect in a camera lens or lens system, due to flaws in design, material, or construction, that can distort the image.
Random House Unabridged Dictionary, Copyright © 1997, by Random House, Inc., on Infoplease.