adj · noun · 7 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot
Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.
Sound
Pronunciation
Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.
UK:/ˈdiː.vi.ənt/
UK:Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
CMU ARPABET:D IY1 V IY0 AH0 N T
Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.
1
adj
Meaning 1
Characterized by deviation from an expectation or a social standard.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Examples
At the trial, the extent of his deviant behaviour became clear.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
2
noun
Meaning 2
A person who deviates, especially from norms of social behavior.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Examples
He was branded as a deviant and ostracized.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
3
noun
Meaning 3
A thing, phenomenon, or trend that deviates from an expectation or pattern.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Examples
As the graph shows, the March sales trend is the deviant.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
4
noun
Meaning 4
A member of the online art community DeviantArt.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: Internet
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
5
noun
Meaning 5
Alternative letter-case form of deviant (“a member of the online art community DeviantArt”).
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: alt-of
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
6
adjective satellite
Meaning 6
markedly different from an accepted norm
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Examples
aberrant behavior
deviant ideas
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: aberrant, deviate
Antonyms: none provided
7
noun
Meaning 7
a person whose behavior deviates from what is acceptable especially in sexual behavior
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
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.
Across languages
Translations
60 source translations are retained for this English entry.
Bulgarian:
отклоняващ се
(otklonjavašt se)
— of or pertaining to a deviation
Czech:
deviantní
— of or pertaining to a deviation
Czech:
úchylný
— of or pertaining to a deviation
Dutch:
afwijkend
— of or pertaining to a deviation
Finnish:
poikkeava
— of or pertaining to a deviation
French:
déviant
— of or pertaining to a deviation
German:
abweichend
— of or pertaining to a deviation
German:
abnormal
— of or pertaining to a deviation
German:
pervers
— of or pertaining to a deviation
German:
anders
— of or pertaining to a deviation
Hungarian:
deviáns
— of or pertaining to a deviation
Italian:
anormale
— of or pertaining to a deviation
Italian:
deviante
— of or pertaining to a deviation
Lakota:
šikšíl
— of or pertaining to a deviation
Macedonian:
девија́нтен
(devijánten)
— of or pertaining to a deviation
Macedonian:
на́стран
(nástran)
— of or pertaining to a deviation
Romanian:
deviant
— of or pertaining to a deviation
Romanian:
deviator
— of or pertaining to a deviation
Russian:
девиа́нтный
(deviántnyj)
— of or pertaining to a deviation
Spanish:
anormal
— of or pertaining to a deviation
Spanish:
disconforme
— of or pertaining to a deviation
Spanish:
desconforme
— of or pertaining to a deviation
Spanish:
aberrante
— of or pertaining to a deviation
Spanish:
desviado
— of or pertaining to a deviation
Spanish:
desviante
— of or pertaining to a deviation
Swedish:
avvikande
— of or pertaining to a deviation
Ottoman Turkish:
آزغین
(azgın)
— of or pertaining to a deviation
Ottoman Turkish:
اكری
(eğri)
— of or pertaining to a deviation
Ukrainian:
девіа́нтний
(deviántnyj)
— of or pertaining to a deviation
Czech:
deviant
— person who deviates
Danish:
afviger
— person who deviates
Dutch:
afwijkeling
— person who deviates
Dutch:
afvallige
— person who deviates
Finnish:
poikkeava
— person who deviates
French:
déviant
— person who deviates
German:
Abweichler
— person who deviates
German:
Abnormaler
— person who deviates
German:
Perverser
— person who deviates
German:
Querulant
— person who deviates
German:
Andersdenker
— person who deviates
Italian:
pervertito
— person who deviates
Italian:
anormale
— person who deviates
Polish:
dewiant
— person who deviates
Spanish:
anormal
— person who deviates
Spanish:
desconforme
— person who deviates
Spanish:
desviado
— person who deviates
Spanish:
disconforme
— person who deviates
Spanish:
desviante
— person who deviates
Swedish:
avvikare
— person who deviates
Ukrainian:
збо́ченець
(zbóčenecʹ)
— person who deviates
Ukrainian:
збо́ченка
(zbóčenka)
— person who deviates
Bulgarian:
отклонение
(otklonenie)
— thing that deviates
Dutch:
afwijkeling
— thing that deviates
Finnish:
poikkeus
— thing that deviates
German:
Perversität
— thing that deviates
Italian:
inusuale
— thing that deviates
Italian:
anormale
— thing that deviates
Italian:
insolito
— thing that deviates
Italian:
atipico
— thing that deviates
Macedonian:
отстапу́вање
(otstapúvanje)
— thing that deviates