Word
deviation
Phoneticsde·vi·a·tion, stress on the third syllable
US/ˌdiviˈeɪʃən/
UK/dˌiːvɪˈeɪʃən/
Definitions
01change from the norm
B2 · Upper Intermediate Countable noun
n. a difference from what is usual or expected.
n. the act of departing from an established course, principle, or standard.
“Any deviation from the original plan must be approved by the manager.”
“The committee noted a significant deviation from the safety protocols during the inspection of the chemical plant.”
Synonyms
Antonyms
02statistical difference
C1 · Advanced Countable noun Mathematics Technical
n. the difference between a particular value and the average value of a group.
n. the difference between an observed value and the arithmetic mean of a distribution.
“The standard deviation shows how much the test scores vary from the average.”
“A low standard deviation indicates that the data points tend to be very close to the mean of the set.”
Usage
Often used in the phrase 'standard deviation' to describe how spread out numbers are.
Synonyms
03change in route
B2 · Upper Intermediate Countable noun Science
n. a move away from a planned path or direction, such as a plane changing course to avoid a storm.
n. a physical departure from a planned or regular course, especially in navigation or transport.
“The pilot requested a deviation to the south to avoid the heavy clouds.”
“The ship's deviation from its charted course was necessary to avoid the approaching hurricane, though it delayed the arrival by two days.”
Collocations
Common phrases and expressions where native English speakers use the word “deviation” in context.
Adjective
01. standard deviation
“In statistics, the standard deviation shows how much the data varies from the average.”
adj + noun
Real-World Examples
“This helps to capture any potential “butterfly effect,” says Alet, where a small deviation from a trend could lead to much bigger changes down the line.” “In terms of surprise, however, there were only minor deviations from the reference values.” Etymology
From Middle French deviation, from Medieval Latin deviatio. Morphologically deviate + -ion.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Word family
VERB
NOUN
ADJECTIVE
Domains
- 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.B2 FirstIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.5.5–6.5TOEFL 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: 4.0–4.572–94TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.785–944
- Frequency
- Frequent
- Level
- B2 · Upper Intermediate
- Updated
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