norm

¹

[ nawrm ]

noun

1. a standard, model, or pattern.
2. general level or average:

   Two cars per family is the norm in most suburban communities.

3. a behavior pattern or trait considered typical of a particular social group:

   The patients regained the norms of everyday life after their hospitalization.

4. Sociology. a pattern or standard of behavior expected of each member of a social group:

   In many countries, cultural norms result in women bearing primary responsibility for childcare.

5. Education.
   1. a designated standard of average performance of people of a given age, background, etc.
   2. a standard based on the past average performance of a given individual.
6. Mathematics.
   1. a real-valued, nonnegative function whose domain is a vector space, with properties such that the function of a vector is zero only when the vector is zero, the function of a scalar times a vector is equal to the absolute value of the scalar times the function of the vector, and the function of the sum of two vectors is less than or equal to the sum of the functional values of each vector. The norm of a real number is its absolute value.
   2. the greatest difference between two successive points of a given partition.

Norm.

²

abbreviation for

1. Norman.

Norm

¹

/ nɔːm /

noun

1. a stereotype of the unathletic Australian male

norm.

²

abbreviation for

1. normal

norm

³

/ nɔːm /

noun

1. an average level of achievement or performance, as of a group or person
2. a standard of achievement or behaviour that is required, desired, or designated as normal
3. sociol an established standard of behaviour shared by members of a social group to which each member is expected to conform
4. maths
   1. the length of a vector expressed as the square root of the sum of the square of its components
   2. another name for mode
5. geology the theoretical standard mineral composition of an igneous rock

Norm.

⁴

abbreviation for

1. Norman

Other Words From

• norm·less adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of norm¹

First recorded in 1820–30; from Latin norma “carpenter's square, rule, pattern”

Word History and Origins

Origin of norm¹

from a cartoon figure in the government-sponsored Life, Be In It campaign

Origin of norm²

C19: from Latin norma carpenter's rule, square

Example Sentences

However, in reality, this should be the norm, not a “pleasant surprise.”

From The Daily Beast

But being hung up on before having chance to tell the unnamed desk sergeant I was with the fourth estate is not the norm.

From The Daily Beast

Subjectivity and exaggerating the foibles or bad reasoning of the opposition in political coverage was the norm.

From The Daily Beast

For a country forever cracking down on those perceived as veering from the sexual norm, being gay is finally starting to pay.

From The Daily Beast

Is behind-the-scenes duplicity, cloaked in coming-of-age business dilemma, the new norm for major-label moves?

From The Daily Beast

Every one is a judge of everything, for he holds fast to the norm.

From Project Gutenberg

Norm couldn't sleep there without curtains to the windows; no more could we; it is right on the street, almost.

From Project Gutenberg

Now Norm had all his evenings to lounge about in, and had not known what to do with them; and he could read quite well.

From Project Gutenberg

Mr. Sherrill who had eyes for all that was going on, came forward swiftly and held a cordial hand to Norm.

From Project Gutenberg

"Now for supper," said Norm, who with secret delight had thought constantly of the surprise in store for Alf and Rick.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• benchmark
• criterion
• measure
• model
• pattern
• rule