Norm Meaning
/nɔːm/Definition, CEFR level B2, pronunciation, examples, and quiz.
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Definition
nounThat which is normal or typical.
nounA rule that is imposed by regulations and/or socially enforced by members of a community.
Sentence Examples
Her behaviour towards me was a departure from the norm.
A vector is a unit vector if its norm is 1.
The new design is a departure from the norm.
Synonyms & Antonyms
Synonyms:
Antonyms:
None
CEFR Practice Quiz
Following the social ____, everyone in the courtroom stood up when the judge entered.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
Working from home has become the new ____ for millions of employees around the world.
Word Origin & History
From Latin norma (“a carpenter's square, a rule, a pattern, a precept”). Doublet of norma.
Literary Quotations & Historical Citations
"[…] the world needs a constitutional moment that will generate new institutions and actuate a new norm."
— 2008, Dennis Patterson, Ari Afilalo, The New Global Trading Order: The Evolving State and the Future of Trade:
""This shocking report proves once again that we urgently need a radical shake-up of hospital care," said Jeremy Hughes, chief executive of the Alzheimer's Society. "Given that people with dementia occupy a quarter of hospital beds and that many leave in worse health than when they were admitted, it is unacceptable that training in dementia care is not the norm.""
— 2011 December 16, Denis Campbell, “Hospital staff 'lack skills to cope with dementia patients'”, in The Guardian, archived from the original on 31 May 2022:
"Projects such as the King's Cross refurbishment, Waterloo blockade, Scottish electrification and the Borders show that the industry can do wonderful work - but that must become the norm, not the exception."
— 2019 December 18, Richard Clinnick, “Railway's 2020 vision”, in Rail, page 3:
"For most people, this sacrifice is made easily and instinctively. Not so for otroverts, who are neither willing nor able to passively adopt the social scripts that others do. To the otrovert, who is constantly engaged with the choices and consequences of their individual life, social norms follow a circular logic: […]"
— 2025 June 19, Rami Kaminski, ““Otroverts” and why nonconformists often see what others can’t”, in Big Think, archived from the original on 15 Jul 2025:
"Peer pressure helps explain why people in Europe weigh less than Americans: They follow different social norms, like eating only at mealtimes instead of snacking throughout the day."
— 2011, Roy F. Baumeister, John Tierney, Willpower, →ISBN, page 230:
Explore More B2 Vocabulary Words
CEFR Practice Quiz
Following the social ____, everyone in the courtroom stood up when the judge entered.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
Working from home has become the new ____ for millions of employees around the world.