the.com/irregularity
The pattern that swears it isn't one, which makes it the most honest pattern.
means The quality or state of being uneven, inconsistent, or not conforming to an expected rule, order, or shape — or a specific instance of such a deviation.
from Built from the Latin 'regula,' a straightedge or ruler — the literal stick by which carpenters and masons checked their lines. From 'regula' came 'regularis' (according to rule), and slapping on the negating prefix 'in-' gave 'irregularis,' the not-by-the-ruler. English borrowed the adjective 'irregular' from Old French in the late medieval period, then the abstract noun 'irregularity' grew the usual '-ity' tail. So at its root, an irregularity is simply anything that won't lie flat against the measuring rod.
- heartbeat
- Slight rhythm variation signals a healthy, adaptive heart
- language
- English's most common verbs are its most irregular
- diamonds
- Flaws inside are how gemologists prove a stone is real
- crystals
- Defects in lattices give metals their useful strength
- euphemism
- Long the polite Victorian word for constipation
heartbeat arrhythmia — atrial fibrillation affects 2-3% of population, causes irregular pulse
earth's axial tilt wobble — chandler wobble: 9.2 meter oscillation discovered 1891, period 433 days
stock market circuit breaker — nyse halts trading if s&p 500 drops 7%, 13%, or 20% in single day