Nonconformances

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. Occurrences that deviate from established norms or standards are termed as such
2. Events that fail to align with widely accepted criteria are described as these occurrences
3. Instances that are inconsistent with accepted standards are referred to as such

Etymology: "Nonconformances" is the plural of "nonconformance," a noun formed from the prefix "non-" ("not") attached to "conformance," the act or fact of conforming. "Conformance" in turn comes from "conform," which traces back through Old French to the Latin "conformare," meaning to shape or fashion together, from "con-" ("together") and "formare" ("to form"). So the core idea is a failure to take the same shape as a standard or pattern. In practice the plural is used for individual cases where something falls short of a specification, such as a product part measured outside its tolerance or a process step that did not follow its written procedure. Each instance is counted separately, which is why the plural is the form most often seen in quality and audit reports.

Synonyms: deviations, noncompliance, irregularities, discrepancies, divergences

Antonyms: conformances, compliance, adherence, agreement, conformity