Definitions for: Deviation


[n] a turning aside (of your course or attention or concern); "a diversion from the main highway"; "a digression into irrelevant details"; "a deflection from his goal"
[n] deviate behavior
[n] the error of a compass due to local magnetic disturbances
[n] the difference between an observed value and the expected value of a variable or function
[n] a variation that deviates from the standard or norm; "the deviation from the mean"



Webster (1913) Definition: De`vi*a"tion, n. [LL. deviatio: cf. F.
d['e]viation.]
1. The act of deviating; a wandering from the way; variation
from the common way, from an established rule, etc.;
departure, as from the right course or the path of duty.

2. The state or result of having deviated; a transgression;
an act of sin; an error; an offense.



2. (Com.) The voluntary and unnecessary departure of a ship
from, or delay in, the regular and usual course of the
specific voyage insured, thus releasing the underwriters
from their responsibility.

Deviation of a falling body (Physics), that deviation from
a strictly vertical line of descent which occurs in a body
falling freely, in consequence of the rotation of the
earth.

Deviation of the compass, the angle which the needle of a
ship's compass makes with the magnetic meridian by reason
of the magnetism of the iron parts of the ship.

Deviation of the line of the vertical, the difference
between the actual direction of a plumb line and the
direction it would have if the earth were a perfect
ellipsoid and homogeneous, -- caused by the attraction of
a mountain, or irregularities in the earth's density.

Synonyms: deflection, deflexion, departure, deviance, difference, digression, divagation, divergence, diversion

See Also: abnormality, discrepancy, driftage, erroneousness, error, flection, flexion, fluctuation, inflection, irregularity, mean deviation, mean deviation from the mean, outlier, red herring, statistic, turn, turning, variance, variant, variation

Try our:
Scrabble Word Finder

Scrabble Cheat

Words With Friends Cheat

Hanging With Friends Cheat

Scramble With Friends Cheat

Ruzzle Cheat



Related Resources:
animals begin with q
animlas that start with a