Definitions

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.

  • adjective Differing from a norm or from the accepted standards of a society.
  • noun One that differs from a norm, especially a person whose behavior and attitudes differ from accepted social standards.

from The Century Dictionary.

  • Deviating; straying; wandering.

from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.

  • adjective obsolete Deviating.
  • adjective having behavior or characteristics differing from that which is normal or expected, especially in an undesirable or socially disapproved manner.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • adjective Of or pertaining to a deviation; characterized by deviation from an expectation or a social standard.
  • noun A person who deviates, especially from norms of social behavior.
  • noun A thing, phenomenon, or trend that deviates from an expectation or pattern.

from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.

  • noun a person whose behavior deviates from what is acceptable especially in sexual behavior
  • adjective markedly different from an accepted norm

Etymologies

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 4th Edition

[Middle English deviaunt, from Late Latin dēviāns, dēviant-, present participle of dēviāre, to deviate; see deviate.]

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Examples

  • Late Friday, the military rulers issued a stern warning that they will crack down on what they called "deviant groups," which they blamed for a spike in crime and violence.

    Mubarak's wife in hospital after arrest 2011

  • Last night the military rulers issued a stern warning that they would crack down on what they called "deviant groups", which they blamed for an increase in crime and violence.

    WalesOnline - Home 2011

  • Late Friday, the military rulers issued a stern warning that they will crack down on what they called "deviant groups," which they blamed for a spike in crime and violence.

    Breaking News: CBS News 2011

  • Thus you have a feedback loop in which prejudice against those identifiable as deviant is validated by the very disgust that motivates it, and propagating that prejudice is validated by the pride that results.

    Archive 2009-08-01 Hal Duncan 2009

  • Homosexuals and heterosexuals are both natural people, with no difference between them in humanity, make or nature … The real deviant is the one who is always trying to oust the other.

    Global Voices in English » Arab World: Trouble for Gay Travels in the Muslim World 2009

  • Thus you have a feedback loop in which prejudice against those identifiable as deviant is validated by the very disgust that motivates it, and propagating that prejudice is validated by the pride that results.

    An Open Letter to John C. Wright Hal Duncan 2009

  • By accepting diversity we challenge these principles on which the deviant is excluded as abnormal, contaminating.

    Archive 2007-01-01 Hal Duncan 2007

  • By accepting diversity we challenge these principles on which the deviant is excluded as abnormal, contaminating.

    The Protocols of the Elders of Sodom Hal Duncan 2007

  • James, well I think that anybody who engages in deviant sex be it women and underage boys or child molesters or homosexuals should be punished for their action.

    Think Progress » VIDEO: Inhofe ‘Very Proud’ There’s Never Been a Homosexual Relationship in the ‘Recorded History of Our Family’ 2006

  • P.S. - I set up that foot-tall figure of Pope John Paul II, and it's a tad disconcerting at first to be engaged in deviant sexual practices while he stares blithely on, but then you figure it's cool that he's watching and still just blessing it, and that's pretty cool.

    July 13th, 2006 circle23 2006

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