Norman

Meanings

Noun

• A person whose ancestors are from Normandy or who resides in Normandy.
• A member of the mixed Scandinavian and Frankish peoples who, in the 11th century, were a major military power in Western Europe and who conquered the English in 1066.
• A Northman.

Proper Noun

• The langue d'oïl variant, closely related to the French of Île-de-France (i.e. Paris), spoken in Normandy and the Channel Islands, and was for several centuries the ruling language of England (see Anglo-Norman).
• , for someone from Normandy, or for a Viking (Northman).
• A male given name from Old English used in the Middle Ages and revived in the 19th century.
• city, county seat Cleveland County (county) Oklahoma (state) USA (country)

Adjective

• Of or pertaining to Normandy or its inhabitants (present or past).
• Relating to the Norman language or the dialect of French spoken in Normandy.
• Relating to the Romanesque architecture developed by the Normans after the Norman Conquest, characterized by large arches and heavy columns.

Origin

• From Middle English Norman, from Old English Norman (a variant of Norþman) and Old French Normant.
• It is certain that the word is derived from the base of the Germanic words for north and the Germanic base of the words for man. However, given the frequent movement of Germanic groups especially into and out of Britain in the post-classical world, it is unclear in what tongue it came to be used first. In addition, the generally accepted meaning, a person from Normandy or one of the many French speaking invaders to Britain, was used chiefly by Anglo-Norman and Old French, though it originally referred to any Scandinavian of the time. See also Northman.