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• norm
  norm

  noun

  a standard, model, or pattern.
• Norm.
  Norm.

  abbreviation

  Norman.
• Norm
  Norm

  noun

  a stereotype of the unathletic Australian male
• norm.
  norm.

  abbreviation

  normal

norm

¹ American  

[nawrm] / nɔrm /

noun

• norms
  plural

1. a standard, model, or pattern.

2. general level or average.

   Two cars per family is the norm in most suburban communities.

3. a behavior pattern or trait considered typical of a particular social group.

   The patients regained the norms of everyday life after their hospitalization.

4. 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.

5. Education.

   1. a designated standard of average performance of people of a given age, background, etc.

   2. a standard based on the past average performance of a given individual.

6. Mathematics.

   1. 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.

   2. the greatest difference between two successive points of a given partition.

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Norm. ² American  

abbreviation

1. Norman.

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norm ¹ British  

/ nɔːm /

noun

1. an average level of achievement or performance, as of a group or person

2. a standard of achievement or behaviour that is required, desired, or designated as normal

3. sociol an established standard of behaviour shared by members of a social group to which each member is expected to conform

4. maths

   1. the length of a vector expressed as the square root of the sum of the square of its components

   2. another name for mode

5. geology the theoretical standard mineral composition of an igneous rock

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Norm. ² British  

abbreviation

1. Norman

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Norm ³ British  

/ nɔːm /

noun

1. a stereotype of the unathletic Australian male

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norm. ⁴ British  

abbreviation

1. normal

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• normless
  adjective

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• norms
  plural

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Etymology

Origin of norm

First recorded in 1820–30; from Latin norma “carpenter's square, rule, pattern”

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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.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

norm Norm. Norm norm. norms

The charity Changing Faces, external estimates there are about five million people in the UK affected by a visible difference including skin conditions or characteristics that set an individual apart from the conventional societal norm.

From BBC ● Oct. 28, 2026

It might not be the norm yet, but why not be an early adopter?

From MarketWatch ● Oct. 22, 2026

The subsequent crisis has made prolonged blackouts the norm, which in turn reduces the water supply, as pumping depends primarily on electric turbines.

From Barron's ● Oct. 21, 2026

Many say finding one in the seat pocket has become the exception rather than the norm.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 16, 2026

Ensuring that there will be other 203’s and extended families like the Freedom Writers so that our experience will not be the exception but the norm.

From "The Freedom Writers Diary" by The Freedom Writers

“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

The chancel arch is also of Norm. origin, but has undergone alteration.

From Somerset by G. W. Wade

It took until 1994 for an honest assessment from a Weekend Update newscaster: “I’m Norm Macdonald. And now, the fake news.”

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 25, 2026

I’ve searched in vain for Norm Macdonald-like labels, “And now, the effective-altruism-spun news.”

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 25, 2026

With Norm and Maria, they were people who did not adjust their work for the marketplace, they had unique visions and stuck to them — Maria still does.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 19, 2026

Fogelsong—whose father Norm Fogelsong was a general partner at venture firm IVP—grew up in late 1990s Silicon Valley, thinking through business models at the dinner table.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 29, 2026

Now he didn't mention that to me, but one day I got a phone call from a man named Norm Lyons.

From "Life Is So Good" by George Dawson

“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

"It's going to be a huge market, and heat recovery systems will become the norm. I'm amazed they aren't already. It seems such an obvious solution for an industry that produces so much heat."

From BBC ● May 1, 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

However, he was quick to challenge established rules and norms when they didn't make sense.

From BBC ● Nov. 5, 2026

Beijing said it was “strongly dissatisfied” with the move and Kunlun said the U.S. sanctions violated international norms.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 3, 2026

"That goes against all of the norms that we have within the NHS in Scotland around safe prescribing practices."

From BBC ● Oct. 14, 2026

Despite storage levels being below historical norms, the group said Europe’s gas system remains sufficiently flexible to meet winter demand.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 13, 2026

All of those theories are essentially ways of saying that the criminal is a personality type — a personality type distinguished by an insensitivity to the norms of normal society.

From "The Tipping Point" by Malcolm Gladwell

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Related Words

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