deviate Meaning, Definition & Usage

  1. noun a person whose behavior deviates from what is acceptable especially in sexual behavior
    pervert; deviant; degenerate.
  2. verb turn aside; turn away from
    divert.
  3. verb be at variance with; be out of line with
    depart; vary; diverge.
  4. verb cause to turn away from a previous or expected course
    • The river was deviated to prevent flooding
  5. adjective satellite markedly different from an accepted norm
    aberrant; deviant.
    • aberrant behavior
    • deviant ideas

WordNet

De"vi*ate intransitive verb
Etymology
L. deviare to deviate; de + viare to go, travel, via way. See Viaduct.
Wordforms
imperfect & past participle Deviated ; present participle & verbal noun Deviating
Definitions
  1. To go out of the way; to turn aside from a course or a method; to stray or go astray; to err; to digress; to diverge; to vary.
    Thus Pegasus, a nearer way to take, May boldly deviate from the common track. Pope.
    Syn. -- To swerve; stray; wander; digress; depart; deflect; err.
De"vi*ate transitive verb
Definitions
  1. To cause to deviate. R.
    To deviate a needle. J. D. Forbes.

Webster 1913