adjective

normal

NAW-muhl

adjective

Usual, typical, or expected; conforming to what is standard.

"It's completely normal to feel nervous before a job interview."

"Traffic is heavier than normal today because of the roadworks."

Healthy or functioning as expected, especially in a medical sense.

"Her blood pressure readings were all normal."

noun

A line or direction that is perpendicular to a surface or curve.

"The engineer calculated the normal to the curved surface."

How to Use Normal

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishThe usual, expected, or standard state of things — not unusual or abnormal.

Common mistake

"Normal" and "average" aren't identical — average is a calculated midpoint, while normal usually implies "as expected" or "healthy."

Easily confused with

norm → normalcy →

Common pairings

back to normal a normal life perfectly normal above/below normal

Word Forms

more normal comparative, normaler comparative, normaller comparative, normals plural, most normal superlative, normalest superlative, normallest superlative

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Fill the Gap

Can you complete this real example?

It's completely _____ to feel nervous before a job interview.

Etymology

From Latin "normalis," meaning "made according to a carpenter's square," and later "according to a rule." The modern sense of "usual" or "healthy" developed in the 1800s as scientists began measuring things like height and blood pressure and calling the common values "normal."

Synonyms

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average medial basic bog-standard common commonplace common-and-garden common-or-garden congruent consistent conventional customary

Antonyms

conspicuous different egregious exceptional historic interesting memorable notable

Related Words

standard good bad common beautiful different important generic

Rhymes for normal

formal abnormal informal paranormal

See all rhymes for normal →

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average medial basic bog-standard common commonplace common-and-garden common-or-garden congruent consistent conventional customary