normal
English
Etymology
From Latin normālis (“made according to a carpenter's square; later: according to a rule”), from nōrma (“carpenter's square”), of uncertain origin.[1][2][3][4] The earliest use of the word in English was to mean "perpendicular; forming a right angle" like something normālis (“made according to a carpenter's square”),[1][5] but by Late Latin normālis had also come to mean "according to a rule", from which modern English senses of the word derive:[5] in the 1800s, as people began to quantitatively study things like height and weight and blood pressure, the usual or most common values came to be referred to as "normal", and by extension values regarded as healthy or desirable came to be called "normal" regardless of their usuality.[6]
Pronunciation
- (Received Pronunciation) IPA(key): /ˈnɔːml̩/
- (General American) IPA(key): /ˈnɔɹm(ə)l/
Audio (GA) (file) - Rhymes: -ɔː(ɹ)məl
- Hyphenation: norm‧al
Adjective
normal (comparative normaler or more normal, superlative normalest or most normal)
- According to norms or rules or to a regular pattern.
- Organize the data into third normal form.
- 2007, Steven Wilson, "Normal", Porcupine Tree, Nil Recurring.
- Prescription drugs, they help me through the day
And that restraining order keeps me well at bay
And what's normal now, anyway?
- 2014, Michael Rush, Politics & Society, Routledge, →ISBN, page 210:
- In other words, although the legal processes were observed, it was not a normal transfer of power within each of the ruling communist parties. […] Demonstrations of the sort that brought about the collapse of the communist regimes in Eastern Europe were not normal, and where attempts had previously been made to hold them, they were invariably suppressed by force.
- (mathematics) Adhering to or being what is considered natural or regular in a particular field or context:
- (number theory, of a real number) In whose representation in a given base b ≥ 2, for every positive integer n, the bn possible strings of n digits follow a uniform distribution.
- A number whose individual digits in a given base representation follow a uniform distribution is said to be simply normal.
- A number that is normal for every base b ≥ 2 is said to be absolutely normal.
- (algebra, of a subgroup) With cosets which form a group.
- (algebra, of a field extension of a field K) Which is the splitting field of a family of polynomials in K.
- (probability theory, statistics, of a distribution) Which has a very specific bell curve shape; that is or has the qualities of a normal distribution.
- (probability theory, statistics, of a random variable, etc.) Which has a normal distribution; which is associated with a random variable that has a normal distribution.
- (complex analysis, of a family of continuous functions) Which is pre-compact.
- (set theory, of a function from the ordinals to the ordinals) Which is strictly monotonically increasing and continuous with respect to the order topology.
- (linear algebra, of a matrix) Which commutes with its conjugate transpose.
- (functional analysis, of a Hilbert space operator) Which commutes with its adjoint.
- (category theory) Being (as a morphism) or containing (as a category) only normal epimorphism(s) or monomorphism(s), that is, those which are the kernel or cokernel of some morphism, respectively.
- (topology, of a topology or topological space) In which disjoint closed sets can be separated by disjoint neighborhoods.
- (commutative algebra, of a domain) Integrally closed: equal its own integral closure in its field of fractions.
- (commutative algebra, of a ring) Such that all of its localizations at prime ideals are integrally closed domains.
- (algebraic geometry, of a variety or scheme) Such that the local ring at every point is an integrally closed domain.
- (number theory, of a real number) In whose representation in a given base b ≥ 2, for every positive integer n, the bn possible strings of n digits follow a uniform distribution.
- Usual, healthy; not sick or ill or unlike oneself.
- John is feeling normal again.
- (education, of a school) Teaching teachers how to teach; teaching teachers the norms of education.
- My grandmother attended Mankato State Normal School; my grandfather attended Illinois State Normal University.
- 1928, Western Montana College, Western Montana College of Education, Catalogue of the Montana State Normal College, page 10:
- PURPOSE AND SCOPE[:] The State Normal College prepares teachers for the public schools of Montana. It accomplishes its work through professional courses, directed observation of expert teaching, and […]
- (chemistry) Of, relating to, or being a solution containing one equivalent weight of solute per litre of solution.
- (organic chemistry) Describing a straight chain isomer of an aliphatic hydrocarbon, or an aliphatic compound in which a substituent is in the 1- position of such a hydrocarbon.
- (physics, of a mode in an oscillating system) In which all parts of an object vibrate at the same frequency (see normal mode).
- (rail transport, of points) In the default position, set for the most frequently used route.
- (geometry) Perpendicular to a tangent of a curve or derivative of a surface.
- The interior normal vector of an ideal perfect sphere will always point toward the center, and the exterior normal vector directly away, and both will always be co-linear with the ray whose' tip ends at the point of intersection, which is the intersection of all three sets of points.
Usage notes
- When used to describe a group of people, normal can be understood as meaning that those not part of the group are strange or freakish. Its usage can therefore be understood as offensive to those it excludes.
Synonyms
- (usual): conventional, customary, ordinary, standard, usual, regular, routine, average, expected, natural, typical, everyday, common, commonplace, general
- (healthy): hale, healthy, well
- (perpendicular): at right angles to, perpendicular, orthogonal
- (statistics): Gaussian, standard normal
Antonyms
- (antonym(s) of “usual”): unconventional, nonstandard, unusual, special
- (antonym(s) of “healthy”): ill, poorly (British), sick, unwell
- (antonym(s) of “perpendicular”): tangential
- (antonym(s) of “rail transport”): reverse
Derived terms
- abnormal
- algebraic normal form
- Backus normal form
- Boyce-Codd normal form
- canonical conjunctive normal form
- canonical disjunctive normal form
- centinormal
- clausal normal form
- conjunctive normal form
- conormal
- Covid normal
- disjunctive normal form
- Earth-normal
- fifth normal form
- first normal form
- fourth normal form
- have a normal one
- millinormal
- new normal
- normal basis
- normalcy
- normal depth
- normal extension
- normal fault
- normal force
- normal form
- normal form game
- normal for Norfolk
- normal good
- normal histology
- normalhood
- normal hydrogen
- normal hydrogen electrode
- normalise, normalize
- Normal Island
- normality
- normal lens
- normally
- normal mode
- normalness
- normal pause
- normal potential
- normal profit
- normal random variable
- normal saline
- normal school
- normal space
- normal subgroup
- normal time
- normal vector
- orthonormal
- paranormal
- prenex normal form
- ring sum normal form
- second normal form
- standard normal distribution
- standard normal random variable
- subnormal
- supernormal
- surface normal
- third normal form
- ultranormal
Related terms
Translations
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Noun
normal (countable and uncountable, plural normals)
- (geometry) A line or vector that is perpendicular to another line, surface, or plane.
- (medicine, countable) A person who is healthy, normal, as opposed to one who is morbid.
- 2014, Ahmet Celik, Edibe Saricicek, Vahap Saricicek, Elif Sahin, Gokhan Ozdemir, Metin Kilinc, Ayten Oguz, Relation between the new anthropometric obesity parameters and inflammatory markers in healthy adult men, SCIRJ:
- Subjects were grouped as Group 1 and Group 2 according to VAI, and normals, overweights and obeses according to BMI.
- (slang, countable) A person who is normal, who fits into mainstream society, as opposed to those who live alternative lifestyles.
- (countable, uncountable) The usual state.
- His workload is now back to normal.
- Heavy workload is the new normal.
- 1930, Norman Lindsay, Redheap, Sydney, N.S.W.: Ure Smith, published 1965, →OCLC, page 269:
- Still, there was a hitch somewhere in the gathering that threw it out of normal.
Synonyms
- (normal person): see Thesaurus:mainstreamer
Translations
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References
- “normal”, in Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary, Springfield, Mass.: Merriam-Webster, 1996–present.
- “normal”, in Dictionary.com Unabridged, Dictionary.com, LLC, 1995–present.
- Douglas Harper (2001–2024) “normal”, in Online Etymology Dictionary.
- “normal”, in The Century Dictionary […], New York, N.Y.: The Century Co., 1911, →OCLC.
- The Merriam-Webster New Book of Word Histories (1991, →ISBN), age 321
- Brent Davis, Dennis Sumara, Complexity and Education (2014, →ISBN)
Catalan
Pronunciation
Derived terms
Further reading
- “normal” in Diccionari de la llengua catalana, segona edició, Institut d’Estudis Catalans.
- “normal”, in Gran Diccionari de la Llengua Catalana, Grup Enciclopèdia Catalana, 2024
- “normal” in Diccionari normatiu valencià, Acadèmia Valenciana de la Llengua.
- “normal” in Diccionari català-valencià-balear, Antoni Maria Alcover and Francesc de Borja Moll, 1962.
French
Pronunciation
- IPA(key): /nɔʁ.mal/
audio (file)
Derived terms
Related terms
Further reading
- “normal”, in Trésor de la langue française informatisé [Digitized Treasury of the French Language], 2012.
German
Pronunciation
- IPA(key): /nɔrˈmaːl/, [nɔʁˈmaːl], [nɔɐ̯-], [nɔ-], [no-]
- Rhymes: -aːl
Audio (file)
Adjective
normal (strong nominative masculine singular normaler, comparative normaler, superlative am normalsten)
Declension
number & gender | singular | plural | |||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
masculine | feminine | neuter | |||
predicative | er ist normal | sie ist normal | es ist normal | sie sind normal | |
strong declension (without article) |
nominative | normaler | normale | normales | normale |
genitive | normalen | normaler | normalen | normaler | |
dative | normalem | normaler | normalem | normalen | |
accusative | normalen | normale | normales | normale | |
weak declension (with definite article) |
nominative | der normale | die normale | das normale | die normalen |
genitive | des normalen | der normalen | des normalen | der normalen | |
dative | dem normalen | der normalen | dem normalen | den normalen | |
accusative | den normalen | die normale | das normale | die normalen | |
mixed declension (with indefinite article) |
nominative | ein normaler | eine normale | ein normales | (keine) normalen |
genitive | eines normalen | einer normalen | eines normalen | (keiner) normalen | |
dative | einem normalen | einer normalen | einem normalen | (keinen) normalen | |
accusative | einen normalen | eine normale | ein normales | (keine) normalen |
Derived terms
Adverb
normal
- (standard) ordinarily, normally, in a normal fashion
- Er hat sich ganz normal benommen.
- He behaved quite normally.
- (colloquial) Alternative form of normalerweise: usually, normally, in general
- Normal geh ich früh ins Bett.
- I normally go to bed early.
Interjection
normal
Hunsrik
Pronunciation
- IPA(key): /norˈmaːl/
Declension
Declension of normal (see also Appendix:Hunsrik adjectives) | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
masculine | feminine | neuter | plural | ||
Weak inflection | nominative | normal | normal | normal | normale |
accusative | normale | normal | normal | normale | |
dative | normale | normale | normale | normale | |
Strong inflection | nominative | normaler | normale | normales | normale |
accusative | normale | normale | normales | normale | |
dative | normalem | normaler | normalem | normale |
Further reading
Interlingua
Irish
Pronunciation
- IPA(key): /ˈn̪ˠɔɾˠ(ə)mˠəlˠ/
Noun
normal m (genitive singular normail, nominative plural normail)
Declension
First declension
Bare forms:
|
Forms with the definite article:
|
Derived terms
- aonadnormal m (“unit normal”)
- normalach (“normal”, adjective)
- normalacht f (“normality”)
Further reading
- Ó Dónaill, Niall (1977) “normal”, in Foclóir Gaeilge–Béarla, Dublin: An Gúm, →ISBN
- “normal”, in New English-Irish Dictionary, Foras na Gaeilge, 2013–2024
Ladin
Norwegian Bokmål
Derived terms
References
- “normal” in The Bokmål Dictionary.
Norwegian Nynorsk
Derived terms
References
- “normal” in The Nynorsk Dictionary.
Portuguese
Pronunciation
- (Brazil) IPA(key): /noʁˈmaw/ [noɦˈmaʊ̯]
- (São Paulo) IPA(key): /noɾˈmaw/ [noɾˈmaʊ̯]
- (Rio de Janeiro) IPA(key): /noʁˈmaw/ [noʁˈmaʊ̯]
- (Southern Brazil) IPA(key): /noɻˈmaw/ [noɻˈmaʊ̯]
- (Portugal) IPA(key): /nɔɾˈmal/ [nɔɾˈmaɫ]
- (Southern Portugal) IPA(key): /nɔɾˈma.li/
- (Northeast Brazil) IPA(key): [nɔɦˈmaw]
- (Rural Central Brazil) IPA(key): [nuɹˈmaw]
- Rhymes: (Portugal) -al, (Brazil) -aw
- Hyphenation: nor‧mal
Adjective
normal m or f (plural normais)
Derived terms
Romanian
Pronunciation
- IPA(key): /norˈmal/
Audio (file)
Adjective
normal m or n (feminine singular normală, masculine plural normali, feminine and neuter plural normale)
Related terms
Spanish
Pronunciation
- IPA(key): /noɾˈmal/ [noɾˈmal]
Audio (Colombia): (file) - Rhymes: -al
- Syllabification: nor‧mal
Adjective
normal m or f (masculine and feminine plural normales)
Derived terms
Related terms
Further reading
- “normal”, in Diccionario de la lengua española, Vigésima tercera edición, Real Academia Española, 2014
Swedish
Pronunciation
Audio (file)
Adjective
Declension
Inflection of normal | |||
---|---|---|---|
Indefinite | Positive | Comparative | Superlative2 |
Common singular | normal | normalare | normalast |
Neuter singular | normalt | normalare | normalast |
Plural | normala | normalare | normalast |
Masculine plural3 | normale | normalare | normalast |
Definite | Positive | Comparative | Superlative |
Masculine singular1 | normale | normalare | normalaste |
All | normala | normalare | normalaste |
1) Only used, optionally, to refer to things whose natural gender is masculine. 2) The indefinite superlative forms are only used in the predicative. 3) Dated or archaic |
Related terms
Noun
normal c
- (geometry) a normal (a line which is perpendicular to another line or to a surface)
- Antonym: tangent
Declension
Declension of normal | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Singular | Plural | |||
Indefinite | Definite | Indefinite | Definite | |
Nominative | normal | normalen | normaler | normalerna |
Genitive | normals | normalens | normalers | normalernas |
References
Tagalog
Etymology
Each pronunciation has a different source:
Pronunciation
- (Standard Tagalog)
- IPA(key): /noɾˈmal/ [noɾˈmal] (Spanish influence)
- Rhymes: -al
- IPA(key): /ˈnoɾmal/ [ˈnoɾ.mɐl] (English influence)
- Rhymes: -oɾmal
- IPA(key): /noɾˈmal/ [noɾˈmal] (Spanish influence)
- Syllabification: nor‧mal
Related terms
Further reading
- “normal”, in Pambansang Diksiyonaryo | Diksiyonaryo.ph, Manila, 2018
Turkish
Pronunciation
- IPA(key): /noɾˈmɑl/
Declension
present tense | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
positive, declarative |
positive, interrogative |
negative, declarative |
negative, interrogative | |
ben (I am) | normalim | normal miyim? | normal değilim | normal değil miyim? |
sen (you are) | normalsin | normal misin? | normal değilsin | normal değil misin? |
o (he/she/it is) | normal / normaldir | normal mi? | normal değil | normal değil mi? |
biz (we are) | normaliz | normal miyiz? | normal değiliz | normal değil miyiz? |
siz (you are) | normalsiniz | normal misiniz? | normal değilsiniz | normal değil misiniz? |
onlar (they are) | normal(ler) | normal(ler) mi? | normal değil(ler) | normal değiller mi? |
past tense | ||||
positive, declarative |
positive, interrogative |
negative, declarative |
negative, interrogative | |
ben (I was) | normaldim | normal miydim? | normal değildim | normal değil miydim? |
sen (you were) | normaldin | normal miydin? | normal değildin | normal değil miydin? |
o (he/she/it was) | normaldi | normal miydi? | normal değildi | normal değil miydi? |
biz (we were) | normaldik | normal miydik? | normal değildik | normal değil miydik? |
siz (you were) | normaldiniz | normal miydiniz? | normal değildiniz | normal değil miydiniz? |
onlar (they were) | normaldiler | normal miydiler? | normal değildi(ler) / değillerdi | normal değil miydiler? |
indirect past | ||||
positive, declarative |
positive, interrogative |
negative, declarative |
negative, interrogative | |
ben (I was) | normalmişim | normal miymişim? | normal değilmişim | normal değil miymişim? |
sen (you were) | normalmişsin | normal miymişsin? | normal değilmişsin | normal değil miymişsin? |
o (he/she/it was) | normalmiş | normal miymiş? | normal değilmiş | normal değil miymiş? |
biz (we were) | normalmişiz | normal miymişiz? | normal değilmişiz | normal değil miymişiz? |
siz (you were) | normalmişsiniz | normal miymişsiniz? | normal değilmişsiniz | normal değil miymişsiniz? |
onlar (they were) | normalmişler | normal miymişler? | normal değilmiş(ler) / değillermiş | normal değil miymişler? |
conditional | ||||
positive, declarative |
positive, interrogative |
negative, declarative |
negative, interrogative | |
ben (if I) | normalsem | normal miysem? | normal değilsem | normal değil miysem? |
sen (if you) | normalsen | normal miysen? | normal değilsen | normal değil miysen? |
o (if he/she/it) | normalse | normal miyse? | normal değilse | normal değil miyse? |
biz (if we) | normalsek | normal miysek? | normal değilsek | normal değil miysek? |
siz (if you) | normalseniz | normal miyseniz? | normal değilseniz | normal değil miyseniz? |
onlar (if they) | normalseler | normal miyseler? | normal değilseler / değillerse | normal değil miyseler? |
Declension
Inflection | ||
---|---|---|
Nominative | normal | |
Definite accusative | normali | |
Singular | Plural | |
Nominative | normal | — |
Definite accusative | normali | — |
Dative | normale | — |
Locative | normalde | — |
Ablative | normalden | — |
Genitive | normalin | — |