While the overloading is annoying, database normalization actually has a strict definition that is not unlike the standard mathematical use; that is, to imply consistency (to make normal): https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Database_normalization

I would also point out that normalization within mathematics does not have a single concrete definition either, and it depends on your domain and desired property to stabilize: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Normalization_(statistics)