Anomie
/ˈænəmi/noun
A state of social instability or breakdown of norms and values.
Did you know?Anomie comes from Greek a- (“without”) + nomos (“law, custom”), and its cousin in the same root family is the English word norm — both trace back to the idea of what is “assigned” or “established.”
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*nem-
“to allocate, assign, dispense”
Ancient Greek
Greek
nomos
“law, custom, usage; that which is assigned”
Ancient Greek
Greek
anomia
“lawlessness, disregard for law”
Late 19th Century
French
anomie
“social instability or normlessness”
Modern English
English
anomie
“a state of normlessness or social instability”
Explore more surprising origins