Norman

[nawr-muhn]

noun

1. a member of that branch of the Northmen or Scandinavians who in the 10th century conquered Normandy.

2. Also called Norman French. one of the mixed Scandinavian and French people who inhabited Normandy and conquered England in 1066.

3. a native or inhabitant of Normandy.

4. Norman French.

5. Jessye 1945–2019, U.S. operatic soprano.

6. a city in central Oklahoma.

7. a male given name.

adjective

1. of or relating to the Normans.

2. noting or pertaining to a variety of Romanesque architecture built by the Normans, especially in England after 1066.

Norman

¹

/ ˈnɔːmən /

noun

1. (in the Middle Ages) a member of the people of Normandy descended from the 10th-century Scandinavian conquerors of the country and the native French

2. a native or inhabitant of Normandy

3. another name for Norman French

adjective

1. of, relating to, or characteristic of the Normans, esp the Norman kings of England, the Norman people living in England, or their dialect of French

2. of, relating to, or characteristic of Normandy or its inhabitants

3. denoting, relating to, or having the style of Romanesque architecture used in Britain from the Norman Conquest until the 12th century. It is characterized by the rounded arch, the groin vault, massive masonry walls, etc

Norman

²

/ ˈnɔːmən /

noun

1. Greg. born 1955, Australian golfer: winner of the British Open (1986, 1993)

2. Jessye (ˈdʒɛsɪ). born 1945, US soprano: noted for her interpretations of Wagner and Mahler

Other Word Forms

• non-Norman noun
• pre-Norman adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of Norman¹

First recorded in 1175–1225; Middle English, from Old French Normant, from Old Norse Northmathr “Northman”

Example Sentences

The firm is led by Norman Foster, an English lord perhaps best known for designing a landmark lipstick-like skyscraper in London known as the Gherkin and the hoop-shaped Apple Inc. headquarters in Cupertino, Calif.

From Los Angeles Times

Hours before he taped Tuesday’s episode, Kimmel posted on Instagram for the first time since his suspension, sharing a photo of himself with iconic television creator Norman Lear.

From Los Angeles Times

She met her husband Norman at a dinner party in the UK in 1931, with the pair going on to raise two daughters.

From BBC

It dates from Anglo-Saxon England, prior to the Norman invasion of 1066 — from a time when many punishments for crime were monetary.

From Salon

London's Walking and Cycling Commissioner Will Norman says better regulation of the rentable electric bikes could be on the way.

From BBC