Origin of deviate

1625–35; < Late Latin dēviātus turned from the straight road, past participle of dēviāre. See deviant, -ate1

synonym study for deviate

1. Deviate, digress, diverge, swerve imply turning or going aside from a path. To deviate is to turn or wander, often by slight degrees, from what is considered the most direct or desirable approach to a given physical, intellectual, or moral end: Fear caused him to deviate from the truth. To digress is primarily to wander from the main theme or topic in writing or speaking: Some authors digress to relate entertaining episodes. Two paths diverge when they proceed from a common point in such directions that the distance between them increases: The sides of an angle diverge from a common point. Their interests gradually diverged. To swerve is to make a sudden or sharp turn from a line or course: The car swerved to avoid striking a pedestrian.

OTHER WORDS FROM deviate

WORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH deviate

deviant deviate

Example sentences from the Web for deviating

British Dictionary definitions for deviating

deviate

verb (ˈdiːvɪˌeɪt)

(usually intr) to differ or diverge or cause to differ or diverge, as in belief or thought
(usually intr) to turn aside or cause to turn aside; diverge or cause to diverge
(intr) psychol to depart from an accepted standard or convention

noun, adjective (ˈdiːvɪɪt)

another word for deviant

Derived forms of deviate

deviator, noun deviatory, adjective

Word Origin for deviate

C17: from Late Latin dēviāre to turn aside from the direct road, from de- + via road