irregularity
C1Formal to neutral. Commonly used in official, academic, legal, medical, and technical contexts.
Definition
Meaning
The state or quality of not following a regular, expected, or standard pattern, rule, or rhythm.
An instance or specific occurrence of something that deviates from the norm, such as a flaw, an abnormal physical feature, or a breach of procedure.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
Often implies a negative or problematic deviation from an established norm, rule, or smooth functioning. In formal contexts, it frequently suggests wrongdoing or procedural failure.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
Minimal. Slight preference for 'irregularity' in British English in formal administrative contexts. No spelling differences.
Connotations
In both dialects, connotes deviation, often with a negative implication of fault or flaw. In financial/legal contexts, strongly implies misconduct.
Frequency
Comparably frequent in both varieties, with a high frequency in specialized fields like law, finance, medicine, and grammar.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
[verb] + an/the irregularity (e.g., investigate, report, correct)irregularity + [preposition] + [noun] (e.g., irregularity in the heartbeat)[adjective] + irregularity (e.g., serious, minor)Vocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “A blot on the landscape (metaphorically similar for an unwanted irregularity)”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Refers to accounting errors or suspected fraud. 'The audit uncovered several financial irregularities.'
Academic
Used in linguistics, mathematics, and sciences to describe exceptions to rules or patterns. 'The study catalogued phonological irregularities in Old English.'
Everyday
Often refers to digestive or bodily rhythms. 'The doctor asked about any bowel irregularity.'
Technical
In medicine: heart rhythm issues. In engineering: surface defects. 'The scan showed an irregularity in the wall of the artery.'
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- The system is designed to irregularise the flow (rare).
adverb
British English
- The data points were spaced irregularly along the graph.
American English
- The team met irregularly, whenever schedules allowed.
adjective
British English
- The coastline has an irregular, jagged profile.
- He has irregular working hours.
American English
- The terrain was rough and irregular.
- She made irregular payments on the loan.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- The teacher noticed an irregularity in the student's attendance.
- There was a small irregularity on the surface of the table.
- He reported the irregularity to his manager.
- The investigation focused on accounting irregularities that suggested fraud.
- Cardiac irregularity can be a serious health concern.
- The tribunal found the electoral process was marred by significant procedural irregularities.
- Phonological irregularity in a language often stems from its historical development.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of a regular heartbeat on a monitor (a steady line). An IRREGULARITY is when the line goes IR-REGULAR—it jumps and dips unexpectedly.
Conceptual Metaphor
SMOOTH FUNCTIONING IS REGULARITY / DYSFUNCTION OR FAULT IS IRREGULARITY (e.g., a smooth process vs. a process full of irregularities).
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Avoid direct translation as 'нерегулярность' for procedural misconduct; use 'нарушение' or 'злоупотребление'. 'Нерегулярность' is better for schedules or rhythms. Confusion with 'irregular' as in 'irregular verbs' ('неправильные глаголы') can occur.
Common Mistakes
- Using 'irregularity' to mean 'rare occurrence' (use 'rarity'). Incorrect plural: 'irregularities' (correct). Misspelling as 'iregularity'. Using it in overly informal contexts where 'problem' or 'glitch' would suffice.
Practice
Quiz
In which context would 'irregularity' LEAST likely imply wrongdoing?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Most often yes, as it implies a deviation from a desired norm. However, in descriptive contexts like 'the irregularity of the coastline', it can be neutral.
They are close synonyms. 'Irregularity' often stresses the lack of a predictable pattern, while 'abnormality' more strongly stresses deviation from a statistical or functional standard, especially in medical/biological contexts.
Yes, very commonly. You can have 'an irregularity' (one specific instance) or 'several irregularities' (multiple specific instances).
Yes, conceptually. Irregular verbs are those that do not follow the standard ('regular') pattern of conjugation. The 'irregularity' is their deviation from the rule.
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