normcore

American  

[nawrm-kawr] / ˈnɔrmˌkɔr /

noun

1. 1. a fashion style or way of dressing characterized by ordinary, plain clothing with no designer names, often a reaction against trendy fashion.

   2. clothes that conform to this style.

      I wear normcore on weekends—usually a t-shirt and jeans.

2. 1. a subculture that embraces things that are simple, ordinary, or mainstream, or that do not stand out as being trendy.

      Normcore moves away from being cool and opts for a lack of individuality.

   2. things that conform to this value system.

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adjective

1. noting or relating to a fashion style characterized by ordinary, plain clothing.

   She’s definitely a normcore dresser.

2. noting or relating to things that are simple, ordinary, or mainstream: the best normcore neighborhoods to buy an average home.

   normcore food like my mom’s meatloaf;

   the best normcore neighborhoods to buy an average home.

Etymology

Origin of normcore

First recorded in 2005–10; from norm “a standard; average level,” or norm(al) “conforming to a standard” + core ¹ “essential part,” or -core “rebellious, antimainstream”

Example Sentences

“Hip-hop heads and normcore hikers and campers. Veganism is small, but it crosses all identities. It’s for anyone who truly champions equality, who realizes they have a chance to make a difference in real time.”

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 16, 2024

In the years since Harry and Meghan “stepped back” from their royal duties and relocated to the United States, Harry’s rebelliously normcore tendencies have only become more pronounced.

From Washington Post • Jan. 14, 2023

The normcore range also includes an MS Paint T-shirt that mimics the original color palette of the app and a “Hardwear” hat with Microsoft’s 1990s logo colorings.

From The Verge • Jul. 12, 2022

People turned out in droves, disporting themselves in outlandish costumes that made the rest of us look like normcore droogs.

From New York Times • Feb. 14, 2022

You’ve found a great family for her to interact with—very normcore, very reserved—and she’ll need to give her best performance alongside them to be “cast.”

From Slate • Feb. 26, 2021