[‘ Originally: irregular; exaggerated; misshapen. In later use also (humorous, chiefly U.S.): enormous.']
Pronunciation: Brit. /abˈnɔːməs/, əbˈnɔːməs, U.S. /æbˈnɔrməs/, əbˈnɔrməs
Etymology: < classical Latin /abnormis/ belonging to no distinct school or party ( < /ab-/ ab- prefix + /norma/ norma n.) + -ous suffix. Compare earlier enormous adj.
Now rare.
Originally: irregular; exaggerated; misshapen. In later use also (humorous, chiefly U.S.): enormous.
1710 E. Curll /Case Dr Sachaverell/ 15 Some, that are wholly Govern’d by Singularity and Novelty, affect what is Abnormous and Surprizing, they endeavour to think out of the Way and to shew their Wit in maintaining Paradoxes.
1742 N. Bailey /Universal Etymol. Eng. Dict./, /Abnormous/, mishapen, vast, huge.
1771 E. Ledwich /Antiquitates Sarisburienses/ 240 Sir Toby Matthews was a character equally if not of a more abnormous cast than his suspected coadjutor.
1790 H. Downman /Infancy/ (ed. 5) v. 153 Exercise Too far impell’d, abnormous, and for years Continued, renders dense the nervous tide.
1837 H. Hallam /Introd. Lit. Europe/ IV. v. §iii. §48. 252 The general structure of the couplet through the seventeenth century may be called abnormous.
1846 G. Grote /Hist. Greece/ I. i. i. 5 The former [/sc./ divine myths] being often the more extravagant and abnormous in their incidents.
1859 M. A. Richter /Internal Relations Cities, Towns, Villages, Counties, & States of Union/ 110 What is there, I ask, abnormous in the claim of a man, who..has raised and trained a laborer from childhood.
1909 /Gettysburg (Pa.) Compiler/ 13 Jan. 3/4 The times are hard, many men out of work. That makes an abnormous demand for charity.
1918 /Wisconsin State Jrnl./ 15 Nov. 3/4 There is an abnormous export business that has been waiting for four years for ships.
1957 /Oakland (Calif.) Tribune/ 14 Apr. 16b/2 She lives a normal existence with her mother and younger brother, loves to read..and has just one weakness in clothes: ‘abnormous’ hats.
1959 M. Henry /Muley-Ears, Nobody’s Dog/ 4 His ears are the most magnificent part of him. They are simply abnormous! They stand straight up in the air, as if they were wired.
Derivatives
abˈnormously adv. /rare/
1851 /Proc. Zool. Soc./ *19* 45 The old males have the second hand wing-feather abnormously short and of an unusual formation.
1878 Trollope /Is he Popenjoy?/ II. ii. 26 A brat so abnormously distasteful and abominable.
1956 S. Wright /Get away from Me/ (1957) iii. 154 Something abnormously unnatural is the house in the Via Gregoriana.