Norma

¹ American  

[nawr-muh] / ˈnɔr mə /

noun

Astronomy.

1. the Rule, a small southern constellation between Lupus and Ara.

---

Norma ² American  

[nawr-muh] / ˈnɔr mə /

noun

1. a female given name.

---

Norma ³ American  

[nawr-muh] / ˈnɔr mə /

noun

1. an opera (1831) with music by Vincenzo Bellini.

---

Norma British  

/ ˈnɔːmə /

noun

1. a constellation in the S hemisphere crossed by the Milky Way and lying near Scorpius and Ara

---

Etymology

Origin of Norma

First recorded in 1810–15; from Latin; see origin at norm

Example Sentences

Billy Wilder’s Sunset Boulevard, the tale of silent film star Norma Desmond’s descent into murderous derangement as her Hollywood comeback stays out of frame, is the other.

From Slate • Jun. 11, 2026

Norma Frerichs was shocked to learn how much her monthly Medigap premiums would cost for 2026.

From Barron's • Jun. 4, 2026

For 1927’s “Show Boat,” he served as the dance coach for Norma Terris, the original Magnolia.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 20, 2026

Scherzinger is returning to the group that launched her to fame after impressing theatre audiences as Norma Desmond in Jamie Lloyd’s stage adaptation of Sunset Boulevard.

From BBC • Mar. 12, 2026

He showed it to Phoebe: Norma called to say she is okay.

From "Walk Two Moons" by Sharon Creech