norman

norman · noun¹

1. French · borrowed fromnormand
2. French · borrowed fromnormand
3. English todaynorman

Borrowed from French normand.

norman · noun²

From normal + -an, possibly influenced by the given name Norman.

Norman · noun, proper noun, adjective³

1. Germanic · derived from
2. Old French · derived fromNormant
3. Old English · inherited fromNorman
4. Middle English · inherited fromNorman
5. English todayNorman

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.