

norm
[nawrm]
| 1. | a standard, model, or pattern. |
| 2. | general level or average: Two cars per family is the norm in most suburban communities. |
| 3. | Education.
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| 4. | Mathematics.
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1815–25; < L norma carpenter's square, rule, pattern

Related forms:
Norm.
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
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Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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Norm
Norm\, n. [L. norma a rule. See Normal, a.]1. A rule or authoritative standard; a model; a type. 2. (Biol.) A typical, structural unit; a type. --Agassiz.Cite This Source
norm
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Main Entry: norm
Pronunciation: 'no(&)rm
Function: noun
: an established standard or average: as a : a set standard of development orachievement 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
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norm mathematics
A real-valued function modelling the length of a vector. The norm must be homogeneous and symmetric and fulfil the following condition: the shortest way to reach a point is to go straight toward it. Every convex symmetric closed surface surrounding point 0 introduces a norm by means of Minkowski functional; all vectors that end on the surface have the same norm then.
The most popular norm is the Euclidean norm.
(2004-02-15)
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norm
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Copyright © 2005 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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norm
rule or standard of behaviour shared by members of a social group. Norms may be internalized-i.e., incorporated within the individual so that there is conformity without external rewards or punishments, or they may be enforced by positive or negative sanctions from without. The social unit sharing particular norms may be small (e.g., a clique of friends) or may include all adult members of a society. Norms are more specific than values or ideals: honesty is a general value, but the rules defining what is honest behaviour in a particular situation are norms
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