[nor.mal] adj [L normalis, fr. norma] (ca. 1696) 1: perpendicular; esp: perpendicular to a tangent at a point of tangency
2. a: according with, constituting, or not deviating from a norm, rule, or principle b: conforming to a type, standard, or regular pattern
3: occurring naturally "~ immunity"
4. a: of, relating to, or characterized by average intelligence or development b: free from mental disorder: sane
5. a of a solution: having a concentration of one gram equivalent of solute per liter b: containing neither basic hydroxyl nor acid hydrogen "~ silver phosphate" c: not associated "~ molecules" d: having a straight-chain structure "~ pentane" "~ butyl alcohol"
6. of a subgroup: having the property that every coset produced by operating on the left by a given element is equal to the coset produced by operating on the right by the same element 7: relating to, involving, or being a normal curve or normal distribution "~ approximation to the binomial distribution"
8. of a matrix: having the property of commutativity under multiplication by the transpose of the matrix each of whose elements is a conjugate complex number with respect to the corresponding element of the given matrix syn see regular -- nor.mal.i.ty n -- nor.mal.ly adv
[2]normal n (ca. 1738) 1 a: a normal line b: the portion of a normal line to a plane curve between the curve and the x-axis
2: one that is normal
3: a form or state regarded as the norm: standard