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Where does the word "normal" come from? It comes from Latin normalis, and was adopted directly into English (1500s).
Read the full story
Where does the word "normal" come from? It comes from Latin normalis, and was adopted directly into English (1500s).
Normal’s story begins in Latin: normalis meant “made with a carpenter's square.” From 'norma', a carpenter's square. It reached English by 1500s as normal. The sense 'usual' dates from the 1800s. Today, normal means conforming to a standard; usual.
- Stage 1 · Latin · ancient normalis "made with a carpenter's square", from 'norma', a carpenter's square.
- Stage 2 · English · 1500s normal "perpendicular", the sense 'usual' dates from the 1800s.