anomic

English

Pronunciation

• (UK) IPA^(key): /əˈnɒm.ɪk/, /əˈnəʊ.mɪk/
• (US) IPA^(key): /əˈnɑm.ɪk/, /əˈnoʊ.mɪk/

Etymology 1

Related to anomia.

Adjective

anomic (comparative more anomic, superlative most anomic)

1. (neurology) Characterized by or pertaining to anomia (the inability to remember names).
   • 2019, Albert Costa, translated by John W. Schwieter, The Bilingual Brain, Penguin, published 2021, page 35:

     When these patients are asked to say aloud the name of an object in a drawing (like a broom), it is common for them to fall into an anomic state in which they cannot recover the name of the object, although they know perfectly well what object is represented in the drawing.

Etymology 2

From anomie +‎ -ic.

Adjective

anomic (comparative more anomic, superlative most anomic)

1. (sociology) Socially disorganized, disoriented or alienated.
   • 2012 August 3, John Hurd, Ian J. Kerr, India’s Railway History: A Research Handbook (Handbook of Oriental Studies: Section Two: South Asia; 27), Leiden: Brill, →ISBN, page 22:

     Anglo-Indians (Eurasians) ceased to be counted as a separate category although we know from other evidence that many of that community, beleaguered and anomic as they often felt themselves to be, remained in railroad service (Bear, 2007).

Related terms

• anomie

Translations

socially disorganized, disoriented or alienated

• Czech: anomický m
• French: anomique (fr)
• German: anomisch (de)
• Italian: anomico
• Portuguese: anómico (pt) (Portugal), anômico (pt) (Brazil)

Further reading

• “anomic”, in Lexico, Dictionary.com; Oxford University Press, 2019–2022.

Anagrams

• Camino, MINOCA, Monica, anicom, camion, conima, manioc