What is the term for a marked deviation from normal?

The term "anomaly" refers to a marked deviation from what is considered normal or typical. In various fields, including medicine and forensic science, an anomaly is often indicative of something unusual that warrants further investigation. For instance, in the context of a medicolegal death investigation, identifying an anomaly in autopsy results or forensic evidence might lead to critical insights about the cause or circumstances of death. Anomalies can highlight new or rare conditions, unusual patterns, or unexpected findings that differ significantly from established norms. This term encapsulates the essence of noticing changes that are significant enough to prompt additional scrutiny and analysis.

In contrast, "irregularity," "variation," and "deviation" may imply divergence from a norm but do not specifically connote that marked deviation that an anomaly signifies. An irregularity could refer to any kind of inconsistency, a variation could suggest a range of differences that may not be substantial, and deviation is more general and often lacks the emphasis on significant abnormality that "anomaly" provides. Therefore, in the context of marked deviations, "anomaly" is the most accurate term to use.