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Definition of deviant adjective from the Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary

deviant

adjective
 
/ˈdiːviənt/
 
/ˈdiːviənt/
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  1. different from what most people consider to be normal and acceptable
    • deviant behaviour/sexuality
    Extra Examples
    • Such practices were regarded as sexually deviant.
    • In the case of sex crimes newspapers typically focus on the criminal and deviant character of the accused.
    • Self-assertive behaviour in women was labelled as dangerous, anti-social and deviant.
    • Not all deviant behaviour is criminal.
    Oxford Collocations DictionaryDeviant is used with these nouns:
    • behaviour
    See full entry
    Word Originlate Middle English: from late Latin deviant- ‘turning out of the way’, from the verb deviare, from de- ‘away from’ + via ‘way’.
See deviant in the Oxford Advanced American DictionarySee deviant in the Oxford Learner's Dictionary of Academic English

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