normal

1 of 2

adjective

nor·​mal ˈnȯr-məl How to pronounce normal (audio)
1
a
: conforming to a type, standard, or regular pattern : characterized by that which is considered usual, typical, or routine
normal working hours
under normal circumstances
It was just a normal, average day.
He had a normal childhood.
Their reaction to the news was normal and expected.
The noise made it impossible to carry on a normal conversation.
Challenges are a normal part of life; remind yourself of that—and keep going.Gabrielle Gayagoy
b
: according with, constituting, or not deviating from a norm, rule, procedure, or principle
The normal spelling rule is "i before e, except after c."
They filed the paperwork in the normal way.
The plane was able to make a normal approach and landing.
… is your home office either your principal place of work or a place where you meet with customers or clients in the normal course of business?Rosalind Resnick and Susie Archer
2
: occurring naturally
normal immunity
Cornell researchers showed that monarch butterflies that fed on leaves dusted with pollen from this [genetically] modified corn grew less and had higher mortality than larvae that fed on leaves dusted with normal pollen.Russell Schoch
3
a
: approximating the statistical average or norm
The west coast had normal rainfall for the season.
normal scores for the tenth grade algebra exam
a country's normal death rate
Their insulin and blood sugar levels are within normal range.Moises Velasquez-Manoff
b
: generally free from physical or mental impairment or dysfunction : exhibiting or marked by healthy or sound functioning
normal reflexes
Fifteen normal subjects and 40 asthmatics of variable severity were studied.J. Bousquet et al.
However, my experience is that there are many, many normal people with no psychiatric illness who have music playing in their head almost all the time or all the time.Keith W. Roach
c
: not exhibiting defect or irregularity
normal and malignant cells
a normal heart
d
: within a range considered safe, healthy, or optimal
normal blood pressure
normal lab tests
4
a
of a solution : having a concentration of one gram equivalent of solute per liter
b
: containing neither basic hydroxyl nor acid hydrogen
normal silver phosphate
c
: not associated
normal molecules
d
: having a straight-chain structure
normal butyl alcohol
5
: perpendicular
especially : perpendicular to a tangent (see tangent entry 1 sense 3) at a point of tangency
6
of a subgroup : having the property that every coset produced by operating on the left by a given element is equal to the coset produced by operating on the right by the same element
7
: relating to, involving, or being a normal curve or normal distribution
normal approximation to the binomial distribution
8
of a matrix : having the property of commutativity under multiplication by the transpose of the matrix (see matrix sense 5a) each of whose elements is a conjugate (see conjugate entry 1 sense 2b) complex number with respect to the corresponding element of the given matrix
normality noun
normally adverb

normal

2 of 2

noun

1
: a form or state regarded as the norm : standard
2
: one that is normal
3
a
: a normal line
b
: the portion of a normal line to a plane curve between the curve and the x-axis
Choose the Right Synonym for normal

regular, normal, typical, natural mean being of the sort or kind that is expected as usual, ordinary, or average.

regular stresses conformity to a rule, standard, or pattern.

the club's regular monthly meeting

normal implies lack of deviation from what has been discovered or established as the most usual or expected.

normal behavior for a two-year-old

typical implies showing all important traits of a type, class, or group and may suggest lack of strong individuality.

a typical small town

natural applies to what conforms to a thing's essential nature, function, or mode of being.

the natural love of a mother for her child

Examples of normal in a Sentence

Adjective He had a normal childhood. These little setbacks are a normal part of life. a potato twice as big as normal size Despite her illness, she was able to lead a normal life. They had a normal, healthy baby. Normal people don't react that way. Noun Your blood pressure is higher than normal. Let's hope everything returns to normal soon. I'm glad that things are back to normal. Oil prices are above normal.
Recent Examples on the Web
Adjective
Output has been trimmed starting earlier this month, the people said, and staff haven’t been given clear indication of when production will go back to normal. Bloomberg, Fortune Asia, 22 Mar. 2024 The newest normal will be a far cry from the peak TV of old, however. John Hopewell, Variety, 22 Mar. 2024 Now, traveling to seek help with issues like addictions or marital problems has become as normal as a facial. Melinda Fulmer, Robb Report, 21 Mar. 2024 Temperatures today will end up well below normal — another relatively impressive full-sun day when highs struggled to reach 50. Ian Livingston, Washington Post, 21 Mar. 2024 His lawyers argue that the indictment criminalizes normal legislative activity and flouts constitutional protections afforded to members of Congress. Tracey Tully, New York Times, 21 Mar. 2024 In the comments section, Barrymore fans were completely charmed by the star's surprisingly normal abode. Kathleen Walsh, Glamour, 21 Mar. 2024 The settlement of the seawalls and rising sea levels mean that water flows over portions of the seawalls twice a day during normal tidal conditions. Julia Jacobo, ABC News, 20 Mar. 2024 Your Questions, Answered Can a 2-year-old use normal toothpaste? Jessica Booth, Parents, 10 Mar. 2024
Noun
As young workers job hop to advance their careers, some companies are adapting to a new normal of boomerang hires. Paige McGlauflin, Fortune, 12 Mar. 2024 As high pressure builds on Sunday, there will be further cooling with highs closer to seasonal normals. Haadiza Ogwude, The Enquirer, 4 Mar. 2024 And aside from getting used to the new normal, Skylar Olsen, chief economist at Zillow Group, predicts people will slowly get back into the housing market, simply because life happens. Rachel Kurzius, Washington Post, 4 Jan. 2024 The Real Housewives of Atlanta star, 38, and husband Aaron Ross spent a very special Christmas together, enjoying their new normal as a family of four with newborn son Asani Legend Archibald Ross and her 6-year-old, Aaron Jermaine Ross II. Angela Andaloro, Peoplemag, 26 Dec. 2023 With hybrid and remote work serving as the new normal for many office workers, many have begun to set up their home offices for longer-term use. Alida Nugent, Peoplemag, 12 Jan. 2024 When remote work became the new normal for many, home offices were suddenly in high demand. Jessica Bennett, Better Homes & Gardens, 28 Nov. 2023 Since the pandemic began in 2020, Zoom video teleconferences have become a new normal for many people’s working life. IEEE Spectrum, 21 Nov. 2023 Now comes the next new normal: An uneven labor market where no one has all the power but both sides are struggling to push their priorities. Anne Chow, Fortune, 3 Oct. 2023

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'normal.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Adjective

borrowed from Latin normālis "made according to a carpenter's square, forming a right angle," from norma "carpenter's square" + -ālis -al entry 1 — more at norm

Noun

borrowed from New Latin normālis, noun derivative of Latin normālis "forming a right angle" — more at normal entry 1

First Known Use

Adjective

1704, in the meaning defined at sense 5

Noun

1728, in the meaning defined at sense 3a

Time Traveler
The first known use of normal was in 1704

Dictionary Entries Near normal

Cite this Entry

“Normal.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/normal. Accessed 28 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

normal

1 of 2 adjective
nor·​mal ˈnȯr-məl How to pronounce normal (audio)
1
2
: of the regular or usual kind
3
a
: relating to or marked by average intelligence or development
b
: free from sickness of body or mind : sane, sound
normally adverb

normal

2 of 2 noun
1
: a normal line
2
: a person or thing that is normal
3
: a form or state regarded as the usual : average

Medical Definition

normal

1 of 2 adjective
nor·​mal ˈnȯr-məl How to pronounce normal (audio)
1
a
: conforming to a type, standard, or regular pattern : characterized by that which is considered usual, typical, or routine
a normal childhood
Great progress has been made in the past few years in the ability to differentiate normal aging-related memory changes from the impairments associated with dementia, including Alzheimer disease …C. Munro Cullum et al., The Journal of the American Medical Association
b
: approximating the statistical average or norm
normal cases of infectious disease
a country's normal birth rate
2
a
: generally free from physical or mental impairment or dysfunction : exhibiting or marked by healthy or sound functioning
normal reflexes
Fifteen normal subjects and 40 asthmatics of variable severity were studied.J. Bousquet et al., American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine
b
: not exhibiting defect or irregularity
a normal spine
normal cells
c
: within a range considered safe, healthy, or optimal
normal blood pressure
normal lab results
3
a
of a solution : having a concentration of one gram equivalent of solute per liter
b
: containing neither basic hydrogen nor acid hydrogen
normal phosphate of silver
c
: not associated
normal molecules
d
: having a straight-chain structure
normal pentane
normally adverb

normal

2 of 2 noun
: a subject who is normal

Geographical Definition

Normal

geographical name

Nor·​mal ˈnȯr-məl How to pronounce Normal (audio)
town north of Bloomington in central Illinois population 52,497

More from Merriam-Webster on normal

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