normal

[ nawr-muh l ]

/ ˈnɔr məl /

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR normal ON THESAURUS.COM

adjective

conforming to the standard or the common type; usual; not abnormal; regular; natural.

serving to establish a standard.

Psychology.

approximately average in any psychological trait, as intelligence, personality, or emotional adjustment.
free from any mental disorder; sane.

Biology, Medicine/Medical.

free from any infection or other form of disease or malformation, or from experimental therapy or manipulation.
of natural occurrence.

Mathematics.

being at right angles, as a line; perpendicular.
of the nature of or pertaining to a mathematical normal.
(of an orthogonal system of real functions) defined so that the integral of the square of the absolute value of any function is 1.
(of a topological space) having the property that corresponding to every pair of disjoint closed sets are two disjoint open sets, each containing one of the closed sets.
(of a subgroup) having the property that the same set of elements results when all the elements of the subgroup are operated on consistently on the left and consistently on the right by any element of the group; invariant.

Chemistry.

(of a solution) containing one equivalent weight of the constituent in question in one liter of solution.
pertaining to an aliphatic hydrocarbon having a straight unbranched carbon chain, each carbon atom of which is joined to no more than two other carbon atoms.
of or relating to a neutral salt in which any replaceable hydroxyl groups or hydrogen atoms have been replaced by other groups or atoms, as sodium sulfate, Na2SO4.

noun

the average or mean: Production may fall below normal.

the standard or type.

Mathematics.

a perpendicular line or plane, especially one perpendicular to a tangent line of a curve, or a tangent plane of a surface, at the point of contact.
the portion of this perpendicular line included between its point of contact with the curve and the x-axis.

Nearby words

norland, norleucine, norm, norm., norma, normal, normal antibody, normal antitoxin, normal curve, normal distribution, normal distribution curve

Origin of normal

1520–30; < Latin normālis made according to a carpenter's square, equivalent to norm(a) (see norm) + -ālis -al¹

Related forms

nor·mal·i·ty, nor·mal·ness, nounan·ti·nor·mal, adjectivean·ti·nor·mal·ness, nounan·ti·nor·mal·i·ty, noun

half-nor·mal, adjectivehalf-nor·mal·ly, adverbhy·per·nor·mal, adjectivehy·per·nor·mal·ly, adverbhy·per·nor·mal·ness, nounhy·per·nor·mal·i·ty, nounnon·nor·mal, adjectivenon·nor·mal·ly, adverbnon·nor·mal·ness, nounnon·nor·mal·i·ty, noun, plural non·nor·mal·i·ties.o·ver·nor·mal, adjectiveo·ver·nor·mal·ly, adverbo·ver·nor·mal·i·ty, nounqua·si-nor·mal, adjectivequa·si-nor·mal·ly, adverbsem·i·nor·mal, adjectivesem·i·nor·mal·ly, adverbsem·i·nor·mal·ness, nounsem·i·nor·mal·i·ty, nountrans·nor·mal, adjectivetrans·nor·mal·ly, adverbun·nor·mal, adjectiveun·nor·mal·ly, adverbun·nor·mal·ness, noun

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for normality

Normality, domesticity, ease, in the blazing Arizona desert.
The Story Behind Lee Marvin’s Liberty Valance Smile|Robert Ward|January 3, 2015|DAILY BEAST
It is a brief text with philosophical leanings that revolves around the notions of normality and abnormality in human nature.
Living Black & Gay in the ’50s|Alain Mabanckou|December 3, 2014|DAILY BEAST
And any semblance of normality that had previously existed seemed to have evaporated.
How WWI Produced the Holocaust|J.P. O’Malley|November 21, 2014|DAILY BEAST
The only gauge of normality that young people have is their observation of each other.
Kids Don’t Know How Overweight They Really Are|Russell Saunders|July 29, 2014|DAILY BEAST

The people of Donetsk are clinging to normality, trying to enjoy the spring, but their anger, disillusionment and fear runs deep.
Putin Has Predicted Civil War in Ukraine. So Do Many of Its People|Anna Nemtsova|April 16, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Action and annoyance and clownish gambols had chanced to supply the needed impetus to bring her back to normality.
Buff: A Collie and other dog-stories|Albert Payson Terhune
When his normality abandoned him, he avoided a greater tragedy.
Fantazius Mallare|Ben Hecht
Another reason for Michael's nonchalant happiness was his normality.
Sinister Street, vol. 1|Compton Mackenzie
"But we've not," Guy contradicted, mustering desperately all the forces of normality to allay Pauline's over-strained ideas.
Plashers Mead|Compton Mackenzie
Contact with sane people, if not too long postponed, means an almost immediate restoration to normality.
A Mind That Found Itself|Clifford Whittingham Beers

British Dictionary definitions for normality

normal

/ (ˈnɔːməl) /

adjective

usual; regular; common; typicalthe normal way of doing it; the normal level

constituting a standardif we take this as normal

psychol

being within certain limits of intelligence, educational success or ability, etc
conforming to the conventions of one's group

biology med (of laboratory animals) maintained in a natural state for purposes of comparison with animals treated with drugs, etc

chem (of a solution) containing a number of grams equal to the equivalent weight of the solute in each litre of solventSymbol: N

chem denoting a straight-chain hydrocarbon: a normal alkane . Prefix: n-, e.g. n- octane

geometry another word for perpendicular (def. 1)

noun

the usual, average, or typical state, degree, form, etc

anything that is normal

geometry a line or plane perpendicular to another line or plane or to the tangent of a curved line or plane at the point of contact

Derived Formsnormality (nɔːˈmælɪtɪ) or esp US normalcy, noun

Word Origin for normal

C16: from Latin normālis conforming to the carpenter's square, from norma norm

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Word Origin and History for normality (1 of 2)

normality

1849, from normal + -ity. Perhaps influenced by French normalité (1834).

Word Origin and History for normality (1 of 2)

normal

adj.

c.1500, "typical, common;" 1640s, "standing at a right angle," from Late Latin normalis "in conformity with rule, normal," from Latin normalis "made according to a carpenter's square," from norma "rule, pattern," literally "carpenter's square" (see norm). Meaning "conforming to common standards, usual" is from 1828, but probably older than the record [Barnhart].

As a noun meaning "usual state or condition," from 1890. Sense of "normal person or thing" is from 1894. Normal school (1834) is from French école normale (1794), a republican foundation. The city of Normal, Illinois, U.S., was named 1857 for the normal school established there.

Medicine definitions for normality

normal

[ nôr′məl ]

adj.

Conforming with, adhering to, or constituting a norm, standard, pattern, level, or type; typical.

Functioning or occurring in a natural way; lacking observable abnormalities or deficiencies.

Occurring naturally and not because of disease, inoculation, or any experimental treatment. Used of immunity.

Of, relating to, or being a solution having one gram equivalent weight of solute per liter of solution.

Of, relating to, or being an aliphatic hydrocarbon having a straight and unbranched chain of carbon atoms.

Of, relating to, or characterized by average intelligence or development.

n.

The usual or the expected state, form, amount, or degree.

normal

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noun

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Origin of normal

Examples from the Web for normality

British Dictionary definitions for.css-ylq2vz{color:#1a1a1a;} normality

normal

adjective

noun

Word Origin for normal

Word Origin and History for normality (1 of 2)

normality

Word Origin and History for normality (1 of 2)

normal

Medicine definitions for normality

normal

adj.

n.

adjective

British Dictionary definitions for normality