late 13c., "long but indefinite period in human history," from Old French aage, eage (12c., Modern French âge) "age; life, lifetime, lifespan; maturity," earlier edage (11c.), from Vulgar Latin *aetaticum (source also of Spanish edad, Italian eta, Portuguese idade "age"), extended form of Latin aetatem (nominative aetas), "period of life, age, lifetime, years," from aevum "lifetime, eternity, age" (from PIE root *aiw- "vital force, life; long life, eternity").
Expelled native eld (Old English eald) "old age; an age; age as a period of life." The meaning "time something has lived, particular length or stage of life" is from early 14c. Used especially for "old age" since early 14c.; the meaning "effects of old age" (feebleness, senility, etc.) is from mid-15c.
In geology, in reference to great periods in the history of the earth, by 1855; in archaeology, from 1865 (Stone Age, etc.) naming periods for the materials used to make weapons and tools. Sometimes in early modern English "a century" (similar to French siècle "century," literally "an age"), hence plural use in Dark Ages, Middle Ages. To act (one's) age "behave with appropriate maturity" is attested by 1927.
"a standard, pattern, or model," 1821 (Coleridge), from French norme, from Latin norma "carpenter's square, rule, pattern," a word of unknown origin. Klein suggests a borrowing (via Etruscan) of Greek gnōmōn "carpenter's square." The Latin form of the word, norma, was used in English in the sense of "carpenter's square" from 1670s, also as the name of a small, faint southern constellation introduced 18c. by La Caille.
"establishing or setting up a norm or standard which ought to be followed," 1880, perhaps from French normatif, from Latin norma "rule" (see normal).
1530s, "abnormal" (usually in a bad sense), from Latin enormis "out of rule, irregular, shapeless; extraordinary, very large," from assimilated form of ex "out of" (see ex-) + norma "rule, norm" (see norm), with English -ous substituted for Latin -is. Meaning "extraordinary in size" is attested from 1540s; original sense of "outrageous" is more clearly preserved in enormity. Earlier was enormyous (mid-15c.) "exceedingly great, monstrous." Related: Enormously; enormousness.
"stewed, thickened soup," 1640s, bisk, from French bisque "crayfish soup" (17c.), said to be an altered form of Biscaye "Biscay" (see Biscay). Gamillscheg says: "Volkstümliche Entlehnung aus norm.bisque 'schlechtes Getränk.'" Modern form in English from 1731.
also ageing, "process of imparting age or the qualities of age to," 1860, verbal noun from age (v.).