anomy
|a-no-my|
🇺🇸
/əˈnoʊmi/
🇬🇧
/əˈnəʊmi/
lack of norms
Etymology
'anomy' originates from French, specifically the word 'anomie', where 'a-' meant 'without' and 'nomos' meant 'law'.
'anomy' changed from Greek 'anomia' (ἄνομία) meaning 'lawlessness' into French 'anomie', and entered English in the form 'anomie' with the variant spelling 'anomy' also used.
Initially, it meant 'lawlessness' or 'without law', but over time it evolved to refer more broadly to a condition of social normlessness or personal alienation.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
a social condition in which norms and values break down or are absent, often leading to instability or deviant behavior (synonymous with 'anomie').
Many sociologists discuss anomy as a factor in social unrest.
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Noun 2
a personal or psychological state of aimlessness, alienation, or a lack of purpose resulting from the absence of social or moral standards.
After losing his job, he experienced a period of anomy and purposelessness.
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Last updated: 2025/08/18 03:51