Normal,

6 definitions found

From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:

  Normal \Nor"mal\ (n[^o]r"mal), a. [L. normalis, fr. norma rule,
     pattern, carpenter's square; prob. akin to noscere to know;
     cf. Gr. gnw`rimos well known, gnw`mwn gnomon, also,
     carpenter's square: cf. F. normal. See {Known}, and cf.
     {Abnormal}, {Enormous}.]
     [1913 Webster]


     1. According to an established norm, rule, or principle;
        conformed to a type, standard, or regular form; performing
        the proper functions; not abnormal; regular; natural;
        analogical.
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              Deviations from the normal type.      --Hallam.
        [1913 Webster]
  
     2. (Geom.) According to a square or rule; perpendicular;
        forming a right angle; as, a line normal to the base.
        Specifically: Of or pertaining to a normal.
        [1913 Webster]
  
     3. (Chem.) Standard; original; exact; typical. Specifically:
        (a) (Quantitative Analysis) Denoting a solution of such
            strength that every cubic centimeter contains the same
            number of milligrams of the element in question as the
            number of its molecular weight.
        (b) (Chem.) Denoting certain hypothetical compounds, as
            acids from which the real acids are obtained by
            dehydration; thus, normal sulphuric acid and normal
            nitric acid are respectively {S(OH)6}, and {N(OH)5}.
        (c) (Organ. Chem.) Denoting that series of hydrocarbons in
            which no carbon atom is bound to more than two other
            carbon atoms; as, normal pentane, hexane, etc. Cf.
            {Iso-}.
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     {Normal equations} (Method of Least Squares), a set of
        equations of the first degree equal in number to the
        number of unknown quantities, and derived from the
        observations by a specified process. The solution of the
        normal equations gives the most probable values of the
        unknown quantities.
  
     {Normal group} (Geol.), a group of rocks taken as a standard.
        --Lyell.
  
     {Normal place} (of a planet or comet) (Astron.), the apparent
        place in the heavens of a planet or comet at a specified
        time, the place having been determined by a considerable
        number of observations, extending perhaps over many days,
        and so combined that the accidental errors of observation
        have largely balanced each other.
  
     {Normal school}, a school whose methods of instruction are to
        serve as a model for imitation; an institution for the
        training of teachers.
        [1913 Webster]
  
     Syn: {Normal}, {Regular}, {Ordinary}.
  
     Usage: Regular and ordinary are popular terms of well-known
            signification; normal has now a more specific sense,
            arising out of its use in science. A thing is normal,
            or in its normal state, when strictly conformed to
            those principles of its constitution which mark its
            species or to the standard of a healthy and natural
            condition. It is {abnormal} when it departs from those
            principles.
            [1913 Webster]

From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:

  Normal \Nor"mal\ (n[^o]r"mal), n. [Cf. F. normale, ligne
     normale. See {Normal}, a.]
     1. (Geom.) Any perpendicular.
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     2. (Geom.) A straight line or plane drawn from any point of a
        curve or surface so as to be perpendicular to the curve or
        surface at that point.
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     Note: The term normal is also used to denote the distance
           along the normal line from the curve to the axis of
           abscissas or to the center of curvature.
           [1913 Webster]

From WordNet (r) 2.0 [wn]:

  normal
       adj 1: conforming with or constituting a norm or standard or level
              or type or social norm; not abnormal; "serve wine at
              normal room temperature"; "normal diplomatic
              relations"; "normal working hours"; "normal word
              order"; "normal curiosity"; "the normal course of
              events" [ant: {abnormal}]
       2: in accordance with scientific laws [ant: {paranormal}]
       3: being approximately average or within certain limits in e.g.
          intelligence and development; "a perfectly normal child";
          "of normal intelligence"; "the most normal person I've
          ever met" [ant: {abnormal}]
       4: forming a right angle
       n : something regarded as a normative example; "the convention
           of not naming the main character"; "violence is the rule
           not the exception"; "his formula for impressing visitors"
           [syn: {convention}, {pattern}, {rule}, {formula}]

From Moby Thesaurus II by Grady Ward, 1.0 [moby-thes]:

  227 Moby Thesaurus words for "normal":
     academe, academia, accepted, according to Hoyle, air line,
     all there, alma mater, appropriate, arranged, average, axis,
     azimuth circle, balance, balanced, banal, beeline, besetting,
     bourgeois, businesslike, center, central, characteristic, chord,
     clearheaded, clearminded, college, college of engineering, common,
     commonplace, community college, compos mentis, condign,
     conformable, conformist, consuetudinary, conventional, correct,
     current, customary, decent, decorous, degree-granting institution,
     diagonal, diameter, direct line, directrix, distinctive,
     distinguishing, dominant, due, edge, epidemic, established,
     everyday, exemplary, familiar, fit, fitting, formal,
     four-year college, garden, garden-variety, general, generality,
     generally accepted, golden mean, good, graduate school,
     great-circle course, habitual, happy medium, harmonious, healthy,
     healthy-minded, in hand, institute of technology, intermediary,
     intermediate, ivied halls, journalism school, junior college,
     juste-milieu, kosher, law school, lucid, mean, medial, median,
     medical school, mediocre, mediocrity, medium, mentally sound,
     methodical, middle, middle course, middle ground, middle point,
     middle position, middle state, middle-class, middle-of-the-road,
     middling, midpoint, moderate, multiversity, natural, naturalistic,
     naturistic, nice, no great shakes, norm, normal school, normative,
     obtaining, of sound mind, ordered, orderly, ordinary,
     orthodiagonal, orthodox, orthogonal, orthometric, pandemic, par,
     perpendicular, plastic, plumb, popular, postgraduate school,
     predominant, predominating, prescribed, prescriptive, prevailing,
     prevalent, proper, quintessential, radius, radius vector, rampant,
     rational, realistic, reasonable, received, rectangular, regnant,
     regular, regulation, reigning, rife, right, right and proper,
     right angle, right line, right-angle, right-angled, right-angular,
     righteous, rightful, routine, rule, ruling, run, run-of-mine,
     run-of-the-mill, running, sample, sane, sane-minded,
     school of communications, school of education, secant, seemly,
     segment, sensible, set, shortcut, side, sound, sound-minded,
     stable, standard, steady, stereotyped, stock, straight,
     straight course, straight line, straight stretch, straightaway,
     streamline, suburban, suitable, symmetrical, systematic, tangent,
     time-honored, together, traditional, transversal, true to form,
     true to type, two-year college, typal, typic, typical,
     unexceptional, uniform, universal, university, university college,
     unnoteworthy, unremarkable, unspectacular, upright, usual, varsity,
     vector, vertical, vertical circle, via media, well-ordered,
     well-regulated, wholesome, widespread, wonted
  
  

From U.S. Gazetteer (1990) [gazetteer]:

  Normal, IL (town, FIPS 53234)
    Location: 40.51737 N, 88.99941 W
    Population (1990): 40023 (12300 housing units)
    Area: 31.5 sq km (land), 0.0 sq km (water)
    Zip code(s): 61761

From U.S. Gazetteer Places (2000) [gaz-place]:

  Normal, IL -- U.S. town in Illinois
     Population (2000):    45386
     Housing Units (2000): 15683
     Land area (2000):     13.618924 sq. miles (35.272851 sq. km)
     Water area (2000):    0.062083 sq. miles (0.160793 sq. km)
     Total area (2000):    13.681007 sq. miles (35.433644 sq. km)
     FIPS code:            53234
     Located within:       Illinois (IL), FIPS 17
     Location:             40.512189 N, 88.988701 W
     ZIP Codes (1990):     61761
     Note: some ZIP codes may be omitted esp. for suburbs.
     Headwords:
      Normal, IL
      Normal