norm
noun
a standard, model, or pattern.
norm
1 American
[nawrm]
/ nɔrm /
noun
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norms
plural
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a standard, model, or pattern.
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general level or average.
Two cars per family is the norm in most suburban communities.
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a behavior pattern or trait considered typical of a particular social group.
The patients regained the norms of everyday life after their hospitalization.
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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.
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Education.
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a designated standard of average performance of people of a given age, background, etc.
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a standard based on the past average performance of a given individual.
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Mathematics.
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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.
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the greatest difference between two successive points of a given partition.
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Norm.
2
American
abbreviation
norm
1
British
/ nɔːm /
noun
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an average level of achievement or performance, as of a group or person
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a standard of achievement or behaviour that is required, desired, or designated as normal
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sociol an established standard of behaviour shared by members of a social group to which each member is expected to conform
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maths
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the length of a vector expressed as the square root of the sum of the square of its components
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another name for mode
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geology the theoretical standard mineral composition of an igneous rock
Norm.
2
British
abbreviation
Norm
3
British
/ nɔːm /
noun
norm.
4
British
abbreviation
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Etymology
Origin of norm
First recorded in 1820–30; from Latin norma “carpenter's square, rule, pattern”
Explanation
A statistical average is called the norm. If you live in a town made up mostly of farmers but your trade is basket weaving, then you're outside the norm. The noun norm is from the Latin word norma, which was a carpenter's square or pattern used in construction to make regular corners. Now we use norm for anything that sets a standard. You can score within the norm on a standardized test, score above the norm on an IQ test, or fall below the norm in acceptable standards of dress if you wear a halter top and cut-off jeans to a formal ball.
Vocabulary lists containing norm
"The Hill We Climb," by Amanda Gorman
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Unit 3: Compelling Evidence
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Divergent
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
As tech has grown as an overwhelming force in our lives, the visual design cornerstones associated with it—arial font, minimalist branding, bright colors and clean lines—have become the norm.
From Slate ● Aug. 21, 2026
These temperatures will be around, or just above, the seasonal norm.
From BBC ● Aug. 21, 2026
During the day, shoppers had to queue up for bag searches - a custom that Ervine grew up believing was the norm.
From BBC ● Aug. 16, 2026
Expanded student unions, more-comfortable residence halls, larger recreation centers, campus programming offices and improved dining choices became the norm.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 14, 2026
Moving at the snail’s pace that is the norm above 26,000 feet, the throng labored up the Hillary Step one by one, while I nervously bided my time.
From "Into Thin Air" by Jon Krakauer
“I grew up with Uncle Norm. He told people that he changed my diapers, and I said, Uncle Norm — I was 3 years old!”
From Los Angeles Times ● Jan. 31, 2025
“Oh Norm. Please tell me this is not true.”
From Washington Post ● Sep. 15, 2021
"Our thoughts are with all of Norm’s friends and family today and… Thank you so much for the laughs, Norm. We’ll never, ever forget them."
From Fox News ● Sep. 15, 2021
“Oh my God what is even happening. Good bye, Norm. You were never not 100% hilarious.”
From Seattle Times ● Sep. 14, 2021
Its church, ded. to St Bridget, preserves a Norm. door within the S. porch, and a Norm. font on the S. side of the building.
From Somerset by G. W. Wade
One called Norm Law, which has hired senior lawyers away from firms including Ropes & Gray and Sidley Austin, is powered by an AI company backed by Bain Capital and Blackstone.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 26, 2026
"If Mr. Hearn can be charged with a felony for touching the Reflecting Pool, every American is at risk," one of Hearn's attorneys, Norm Eisen, told reporters outside the court.
From Barron's ● Jul. 9, 2026
"If Mr Hearn can be charged with a felony for touching the Reflecting Pool, every American is at risk", said Norm Eisen, one of Hearn's attorneys, speaking outside the courthouse on Thursday.
From BBC ● Jul. 9, 2026
Norm Eisen: People don’t want to hear about Locke and Burke and John Rawls.
From Slate ● Apr. 20, 2026
She always made sure I had my book and Norm the Bear, even though I didn’t need a teddy bear.
From Absolutely Almost by Lisa Graff
"In the online space, this is definitely the norm. I don't know if it's because of who I'm friends with, but I don't know anyone who hasn't experienced it."
From BBC ● Mar. 24, 2026
“That’s not necessarily a bearish call, but just the norm. Since 1950, 10%+ corrections have occurred 0.8 times per year on average.”
From Barron's ● Nov. 11, 2025
"In these early epochs, the amount of gas around galaxies is so large that continuous star formation is the norm. But in this galaxy this process is not happening."
From Salon ● Sep. 18, 2024
“The pandemic has changed that norm. And so we were trying to figure out what does that mean for us going forward?”
From Seattle Times ● Sep. 3, 2023
With hundreds still dying each day, “I just refuse to accept this as the norm. What are we doing wrong?”
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 18, 2022
The liturgical norms to be respected "are not constraints but guidelines, rules, fixed points," he said, calling sacred art "an absolutely important message of revelation".
From Barron's ● Aug. 22, 2026
Economic pressures and changing social norms are driving couples in Tunisia, Morocco, and Algeria to have fewer babies, with a recent study saying Maghreb fertility was at a historic low.
From Barron's ● Aug. 13, 2026
The current investing environment, which features interest rates closer to historical norms than what investors saw during the 2010s, should also help keep value stocks in favor.
From MarketWatch ● Aug. 6, 2026
By some measures, the school’s academic performance fell well short of state norms and its leaders’ expectations, complicating efforts to spread its model to public and charter schools.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 1, 2026
Like many celebrities today, the Fox sisters broke social norms.
From "American Spirits" by Barb Rosenstock
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
