Subnormalities

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. Deviations from what is typical or expected in a standard context, often observed in various fields such as psychology or medicine
2. Conditions that fall below a normal range of functioning or development, indicating atypical characteristics or behaviors
3. Traits or qualities that are considered inferior or below the norm, which may affect performance or health in different environments

Etymology: "Subnormalities" is simply the plural of "subnormality," so it is the plural of a noun built in English from "subnormal" plus the suffix "-ity." "Subnormal" combines the Latin prefix "sub-," meaning "under" or "below," with "normal," which traces back to the Latin "norma," a carpenter's square used to measure right angles, and so came to mean a standard or rule. The suffix "-ity" attaches to adjectives to form abstract nouns denoting a state or quality, so "subnormality" names the condition of being below the norm. Because the word is a transparent formation from English parts rather than a term inherited or borrowed through another language, its history is largely a matter of how its components combined. Its use is most common in technical and scientific writing, where it names measurable traits that fall below an established standard.

Synonyms: deficiencies, abnormalities

Antonyms: normalities