Word
deviant
Phoneticsde·viant
US/ˈdiviənt/
UK/dˈiːviənt/
Definitions
01departing from norms
C1 · Advanced Academic · Formal
adj. describing behavior or ideas that are very different from what most people consider normal or acceptable.
adj. differing from an accepted social, moral, or statistical standard. Often carries a negative connotation in sociological contexts regarding behavior.
“The study looked at deviant behavior in teenagers who refused to follow any school rules.”
“Sociologists often debate whether deviant acts are inherent to the individual or a product of restrictive social labeling.”
Antonyms
02a person who breaks norms
C1 · Advanced Countable noun Formal
n. a person whose behavior is different from what is considered normal or acceptable by society.
n. a person who deviates from established social norms or standards of behavior.
“In the past, anyone who didn't follow the local religion was seen as a deviant.”
“The regime labeled all political protesters as social deviants to justify their imprisonment without trial.”
Antonyms
03DeviantArt user
C2 · Proficiency Countable noun Computing Informal
n. a member of the famous online art community called DeviantArt.
n. a specific demonym for a registered user of the DeviantArt online gallery and community.
“She has been a deviant for five years and has uploaded hundreds of digital paintings.”
“The platform allows every deviant to curate their own gallery and receive feedback from a global audience of fellow artists.”
Usage
Usually capitalized when referring specifically to the website's users.
Real-World Examples
“The mentally ill are residents of the “nuthouse”; women are “into lesbianism”; and a gay murder victim is a “deviant”.” Etymology
From Middle English devyaunt (“deviating, different”), from Late Latin dēviāns, present participle of dēviō (“to stray, deviate or detour”). The noun is from the adjective, possibly attested in Middle English with the meaning “one who goes astray”. * (DeviantArt member): So called because the website was originally for people who modified (deviated) computer applications.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Word family
VERB
NOUN
ADJECTIVE
Domain
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.C1 AdvancedIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.7.0–8.0TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 5.0–5.595–113TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.945–990
- Frequency
- Occasional
- Level
- C1 · Advanced
- Updated
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QR code
englishreference.com/q/deviant