Added 9 October 2026
deviant
/ˈdiː.vi.ənt/ noun
Latin root: dēviāns Wiktionary
noun Definition from WordNet 3.1, Princeton University. Pronunciation from Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org. More about deviant at Wordnik → Where our words come from →
adjective
Origin
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.
From Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org (CC BY-SA)