I . Norman
n
any of the people from Normandy in northern France who settled in England after their leader William defeated the English king at the Battle of Hastings in 1066. The Normans took control of the country, a process known as the Norman Conquest . They used many of the existing Anglo-Saxon methods of government of the state and the church, but added important aspects of their own and made government much more effective. The language of government became first Latin, and then Norman French, and this caused many new words to be added to the existing English language. The name ‘Norman’ comes from the Old French for ‘Northman’, as the Normans originally came from Denmark, Norway and Iceland.
See also William I .
► Norman adj
1. of the Normans:
a Norman castle.
2. of the style of Romanesque architecture used in Britain from the Norman Conquest to the early 13th century. Its features included round arches and heavy pillars, and often roofs made of wood. The cathedrals at Ely , Norwich , Peterborough and Durham are in the Norman style.
II . Jessye Norman
(1945– )
a US opera singer known for her strong, clear soprano (= highest female) voice. She began her career with the German Opera in Berlin, and first sang in New York with the Metropolitan Opera in 1973. She is also known for her performances of songs by Wagner and Richard Strauss.