The process of bringing or returning something to a normal or standard state. In databases, it refers to organizing data to reduce redundancy and improve integrity.
From Latin 'normalis' meaning 'according to rule' plus the suffix '-ization' indicating a process. The term evolved from mathematical and statistical contexts in the early 20th century to broader technical applications including database theory.
Database normalization follows specific 'normal forms' (1NF, 2NF, 3NF) that sound like academic grades but are actually progressive steps to eliminate data redundancy. Interestingly, sometimes you need to 'denormalize' a database for better performance, breaking the rules to go faster!
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