noun
Common
norm
nawm
Norm (noun) means What is considered typical, standard, or expected. Example: “Eating dinner together every evening was the norm in our house growing up.”
noun
1
What is considered typical, standard, or expected.
"Eating dinner together every evening was the norm in our house growing up."
"Working from home has become the norm for many companies."
"It's the norm to tip waiters in the US."
2
An unwritten rule of behavior enforced by a community or society.
"In many cultures, removing your shoes at the door is a basic social norm."
"Breaking a norm, such as talking loudly in a library, can earn you disapproving looks."
"Queuing politely is a strong social norm in Britain."
3
In mathematics, a function that measures the size or length of a vector.
"The lecturer showed us how to work out the norm of a simple two-dimensional vector."
"A norm must always give a result that is zero or greater."
"The Euclidean norm of the vector is calculated using the Pythagorean formula."
How to use norm
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishWhat's typical or expected — the usual way things are done.
Easily confused with
Common pairings
the norm
social norms
break the norm
return to the norm
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Word forms
- Plural
- norms
- Third person singular
- norms
- Past tense
- normed
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
Eating dinner together every evening was the _____ in our house growing up.
Etymology
From Latin "norma," meaning a carpenter's square or rule — something used to check that things are straight and standard.
Synonyms
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Related words
Rhymes for norm
See all rhymes for norm →Frequently asked questions
What does “norm” mean?
The word “norm” means what is considered typical, standard, or expected. In plain terms, what's typical or expected — the usual way things are done.
How do you pronounce “norm”?
“Norm” is pronounced nawm (/nɔɹm/ in IPA).
How do you use “norm” in a sentence?
Here is “norm” used in a sentence: “Working from home has become the norm for many companies.”
What part of speech is “norm”?
“Norm” is a noun.
Where does the word “norm” come from?
The word “norm” comes from Latin. From Latin "norma," meaning a carpenter's square or rule — something used to check that things are straight and standard.
Is “norm” a common word?
“Norm” is a fairly common word in modern English.
How many meanings does “norm” have?
“Norm” has 3 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: what is considered typical, standard, or expected.
What is the difference between a "norm" and an "average"?
A "norm" is what is considered typical, standard, or expected in a group or situation. An "average" is a specific figure calculated from a set of numbers. Something can be the norm without being the exact average, because a norm reflects what is usual or accepted rather than a precise calculation.
What is the difference between a "norm" and a "rule"?
A "norm" is often an unwritten expectation of behaviour that a community informally enforces, while a "rule" is usually an explicit, stated requirement. Breaking a rule may bring an official penalty; breaking a norm tends to bring social disapproval instead.
What is an example of a social norm?
A social norm is an unwritten rule of behaviour that a community or society expects and informally enforces. Everyday examples include queuing in turn, saying "please" and "thank you," or keeping your voice down in a library, behaviours no law requires but most people follow.
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