Norman

/ˈnɔrmən/ noun, proper noun

Definition

A person from Normandy (a region in France), or a common given name; historically, a Norman was someone from the medieval kingdom founded by Vikings.

Etymology

From Old French 'Normand,' meaning 'Northman,' referring to Vikings (Norse-men) who settled Normandy in the 10th century. 'Norm-' means north, 'man' means man.

Kelly Says

Normans were literally 'North-men'—Vikings who settled in France and became French-speaking—and they changed history by conquering England in 1066, making 'Norman Conquest' one of the most important events in English language development (about 30% of English words come from Norman French).

Related Words

Explore More Words

Get the Word Orb API

Complete word intelligence in one call. Free tier — 50 lookups/day.