norm

noun

ˈnȯrm 

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

Synonyms

• normal
• average
• standard

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

The truth is that both break traditional airflow assumptions, challenge heat rejection norms and force us to rethink redundancy models. —Aparna Prabhakar, Forbes.com, 10 July 2025

Bold decisions and quick sprints may unlock innovation, but unless they are grounded in deeper structures and shared beliefs, organizations snap back to old norms. —Jeroen Tas, Time, 10 July 2025

Manfred has said multiple times that offseason lockouts are a norm in professional sports, a point the union has taken to mean a lockout in baseball is a foregone conclusion come December 2026. —Evan Drellich, New York Times, 10 July 2025

Experts recommend traveling with a local guide, being mindful of social norms, and making genuine connections with locals. —Christopher Elliott, USA Today, 8 July 2025

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

Phrases Containing norm

• the norm

Rhymes for norm

• corm
• dorm
• form
• forme
• storm
• swarm
• warm
• brainstorm
• conform
• deform
• firestorm
• hailstorm

Kids Definition

norm

noun

ˈnȯ(ə)rm 

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

ˈnȯ(ə)rm 

: 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