What is an abberation?

[Palagast]

English is not my mother language and I have no idea what an abberation is. I've seen some in the MM, but can't find the common features that makes it an abberation. The dictionary doesn't help either, so I'm asking you: What defines an abberation?

Thanks

 

[Li Shenron]

I think the work "aberration" means basically monstrosity, something which goes outside nature in a way. Not very sure, but IIRC from latin "ab errum" ~ "to go away"? Does someone know right?

The D&D definition says "An aberration has a bizarre anatomy, strange abilities, an alien mindset, or any combination of the three".

 

[Falconnan]

From Webster;s Pocket Dictionary of the English Language 2002: aberration- n. an abnormality; a deviation from the customary course or condition; a delusion or derangement.

What this means is that any creature that is so far out of the ordinary that there is no normal creature that fits the bill.
An illithid is an aberration because its body and mind are so far out of the natural realm that it qualifies. Same with a beholder.
Aberrations can be almost anything that either looks weird, thinks weird, or both.

 

[Spatula]

An aberration is something that is aberrant. Aberrant etymology: Latin aberrant-, aberrans, present participle of aberrare to go astray, from ab- + errare to wander, err.

An aberration is anything that is not normal. In D&D, it generally refers to creatures with bizarre anatomies that don't fit into any of the other groups.

 

[Palagast]

Thanks all for your responses!

 

[diaglo]

in the OED... see hong.

IYKWIMAITYD

diaglo "nature abhors a vaccuum" Ooi

 

[alsih2o]

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[alsih2o]

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[Henry]

I've seen some in the MM, but can't find the common features that makes it an abberation.

That's why; they are aberrations because they have nothing in common with any other creatures, so their features will vary from everything, including other aberrations.

 

[JimAde]

alsih20: Too funny. Especially the first one!