Deviations from what is normal, typical, or expected, often used in medical contexts to describe irregular conditions or features. Things that are unusual or not conforming to standard patterns.
From Latin 'ab-' (away from) and 'norma' (rule, standard), with the suffix '-ity' indicating a state or condition. The concept developed in the 19th century as statistical and medical thinking emphasized measurable norms.
The concept of abnormality is surprisingly recent in human history - before statistical thinking emerged, differences were often seen as divine signs or natural variations rather than deviations from a norm. Modern medicine's focus on abnormalities has revolutionized diagnosis but also raised questions about what constitutes 'normal' human variation.
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