1
: an authoritative standard : model
2
: a principle of right action binding upon the members of a group and serving to guide, control, or regulate proper and acceptable behavior
No society lacks norms governing conduct.Robert K. Merton
3
: average: such as
a
: a set standard of development or achievement usually derived from the average or median achievement of a large group
b
: a pattern or trait taken to be typical in the behavior of a social group
studies aimed at establishing the norms of sexual behavior among the middle classes
c
: a widespread or usual practice, procedure, or custom
standing ovations became the norm
Bilingualism is the norm in many countries.
4
a
: a real-valued nonnegative function defined on a vector space with value analogous to length and satisfying the conditions that the function is zero if and only if the vector (see vector entry 1 sense 1a) is zero, the function of the product of a scalar and a vector is equal to the product of the absolute value of the scalar and the function of the vector, and the function of the sum of two vectors is less than or equal to the sum of the functions of the two vectors
specifically : the square root of the sum of the squares of the absolute values of the elements of a matrix (see matrix sense 5a) or of the components of a vector
b
: the greatest distance between two successive points of a set of points that partition an interval (see interval sense 3) into smaller intervals
Choose the Right Synonym for norm

average, mean, median, norm mean something that represents a middle point.

average is the quotient obtained by dividing the sum total of a set of figures by the number of figures.

scored an average of 85 on tests

mean may be the simple average or it may represent value midway between two extremes.

a high of 70° and a low of 50° give a mean of 60°

median applies to the value that represents the point at which there are as many instances above as there are below.

average of a group of persons earning 3, 4, 5, 8, and 10 dollars an hour is 6 dollars, whereas the median is 5 dollars

norm means the average of performance of a significantly large group, class, or grade.

scores about the norm for fifth grade arithmetic

Examples of norm in a Sentence

She scored well above the norm in math. Smaller families have become the norm. Women used to stay at home to take care of the children, but that's no longer the norm.
Recent Examples on the Web Eventually, the child/offender internalizes the behavior norms and uses those skills to become a successful adult. Tj Hutchinson, The Denver Post, 1 Mar. 2024 Nex, who used he/him and they/them pronouns, identified as gender expansive, an umbrella term that describes people whose gender identity expands beyond traditional gender norms, according to the National Institutes of Health. USA TODAY, 1 Mar. 2024 While many love to break societal norms and partake in the festivities, some are skeptical of the tradition. Marina Johnson, The Courier-Journal, 23 Feb. 2024 But the Care School is dedicated to the belief that such norms can be changed. Christina Noriega, NPR, 23 Feb. 2024 In this case, the chatbot's focus on reproductive health also offers vital information that — because of social norms — is difficult to access elsewhere. Thalia Beaty, Quartz, 22 Feb. 2024 The Trumps smashed that norm, along with many others. Helen Lewis, The Atlantic, 22 Feb. 2024 Similarly, Sources of Strength programming has been shown to improve school norms and beliefs about suicide, connectedness to adults and school engagement. Journal Sentinel, 22 Feb. 2024 Flexibility emerges as a strategic investment for businesses and professionals alike, aligning seamlessly with our collective adaptation to new norms. Leeza Hoyt, Forbes, 21 Feb. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'norm.' 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

borrowed from Latin norma "carpenterʼs square, pattern," probably borrowed from an Etruscan adaptation of Greek gnṓmōn "carpenterʼs square, indicator on a sundial" — more at gnomon

First Known Use

1674, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of norm was in 1674

Dictionary Entries Near norm

Cite this Entry

“Norm.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/norm. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

norm

noun
1
: average entry 1 sense 2
especially : a set standard of development or achievement usually derived from the average or median achievement of a large group
2
: a common or typical practice or custom

Medical Definition

norm

noun
: an established standard or average: as
a
: a set standard of development or achievement usually derived from the average or median achievement of a large group
b
: a pattern or trait taken to be typical in the behavior of a social group

More from Merriam-Webster on norm

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!