Significant Accounting Policies - Additional Information (Detail) - USD ($)	12 Months Ended
Oct. 31, 2021	Oct. 31, 2020	Oct. 31, 2019
Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Ownership percentage in affiliates and joint ventures	50.00%
Percent of revenue recognized over time	10.00%	10.00%
Advertising costs incurred	$ 5,986,000	$ 7,174,000	$ 10,479,000
Research and development costs incurred	$ 59,422,000	$ 63,591,000	$ 60,018,000
Percentage of research and development expenses on sales	2.50%	3.00%	2.70%
Periods of performance considered for calculating compensation expense	3 years
Accounts receivable, after allowance for credit loss	$ 7,552,000	$ 9,045,000
Provision for losses on receivables	$ 32,000	$ 2,165,000	$ 2,254,000
Cost percentage of inventory under LIFO method	16.00%	19.00%
Consolidated inventories under FIFO method	$ 4,216,000	$ 4,545,000
Interest charges capitalized	$ 0	$ 0	$ 0
Product warranty period	1 year
Accounting Standards Update 2016-13
Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Provision for losses on receivables	$ 396,000
Maximum
Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Liquid instruments with maturity period	90 days
Stock Options
Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Options for common shares excluded from computation of diluted earning per share (in shares)	46,000	95,000	176,000

Corporate performance measurement period.

No definition available.

Name:	ndsn_CorporatePerformanceMeasurementPeriod
Namespace Prefix:	ndsn_
Data Type:	xbrli:durationItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Highly liquid investments maturity period.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	ndsn_HighlyLiquidInvestmentsMaturityPeriod
Namespace Prefix:	ndsn_
Data Type:	xbrli:durationItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Product warranty period.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	ndsn_ProductsWarrantyPeriod
Namespace Prefix:	ndsn_
Data Type:	xbrli:durationItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Research and development expenses ratio on sales.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	ndsn_ResearchAndDevelopmentExpensesRatioOnSales
Namespace Prefix:	ndsn_
Data Type:	dtr-types:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Revenue, Performance Obligation Satisfied over Time, Percentage

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	ndsn_RevenuePerformanceObligationSatisfiedOverTimePercentage
Namespace Prefix:	ndsn_
Data Type:	dtr-types:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Significant accounting policies.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	ndsn_SignificantAccountingPoliciesLineItems
Namespace Prefix:	ndsn_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Amount, after allowance for credit loss, of right to consideration from customer for product sold and service rendered in normal course of business.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 954
-SubTopic 310
-Section 45
-Paragraph 1
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=123366838&loc=d3e3073-115593

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 210
-SubTopic 10
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.5-02(3))
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=120391452&loc=d3e13212-122682

Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 944
-SubTopic 210
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.7-03(5))
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=120400017&loc=d3e572229-122910

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_AccountsReceivableNet
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Amount charged to advertising expense for the period, which are expenses incurred with the objective of increasing revenue for a specified brand, product or product line.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 720
-SubTopic 35
-Section 50
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (b)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6420018&loc=d3e36677-107848

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_AdvertisingExpense
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Securities (including those issuable pursuant to contingent stock agreements) that could potentially dilute basic earnings per share (EPS) or earnings per unit (EPU) in the future that were not included in the computation of diluted EPS or EPU because to do so would increase EPS or EPU amounts or decrease loss per share or unit amounts for the period presented.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 260
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (c)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=124432515&loc=d3e3550-109257

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_AntidilutiveSecuritiesExcludedFromComputationOfEarningsPerShareAmount
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:sharesItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

The percentage of ownership of common stock or equity participation in the investee accounted for under the equity method of accounting.

+ References

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 323
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 3
-Subparagraph (a)(1)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=114001798&loc=d3e33918-111571

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_EquityMethodInvestmentOwnershipPercentage
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	dtr-types:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Amount of interest capitalized, including amount of allowance for funds used during construction.

+ References

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 980
-SubTopic 835
-Section 45
-Paragraph 1
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6501662&loc=d3e56162-110433

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_InterestCostsIncurredCapitalized
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Amount by which inventory stated at last-in first-out (LIFO) is less than (in excess of) inventory stated at other inventory cost methods.

+ References

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 210
-SubTopic 10
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.5-02.6(c))
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=120391452&loc=d3e13212-122682

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_InventoryLIFOReserve
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

The percentage of LIFO (last in first out) inventory to total inventory as of the balance sheet date if other than 100 percent.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_PercentageOfLIFOInventory
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	dtr-types:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Amount of expense (reversal of expense) for expected credit loss on accounts receivable.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 326
-SubTopic 20
-Section 50
-Paragraph 13
-Subparagraph (b)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=124255953&loc=SL82919249-210447

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 220
-SubTopic 10
-Section S99
-Paragraph 2
-Subparagraph (SX 210.5-03(5))
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=123367319&loc=SL114868664-224227

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_ProvisionForDoubtfulAccounts
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

The aggregate costs incurred (1) in a planned search or critical investigation aimed at discovery of new knowledge with the hope that such knowledge will be useful in developing a new product or service, a new process or technique, or in bringing about a significant improvement to an existing product or process; or (2) to translate research findings or other knowledge into a plan or design for a new product or process or for a significant improvement to an existing product or process whether intended for sale or the entity's use, during the reporting period charged to research and development projects, including the costs of developing computer software up to the point in time of achieving technological feasibility, and costs allocated in accounting for a business combination to in-process projects deemed to have no alternative future use.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2009/role/commonPracticeRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 912
-SubTopic 730
-Section 25
-Paragraph 1
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6472174&loc=d3e58812-109433

Reference 2: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 985
-SubTopic 20
-Section 50
-Paragraph 1
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6501960&loc=d3e128462-111756

Reference 3: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 730
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 1
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6420194&loc=d3e21568-108373

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_ResearchAndDevelopmentExpense
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_AdjustmentsForNewAccountingPronouncementsAxis=us-gaap_AccountingStandardsUpdate201613Member
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	srt_RangeAxis=srt_MaximumMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_AntidilutiveSecuritiesExcludedFromComputationOfEarningsPerShareByAntidilutiveSecuritiesAxis=us-gaap_EmployeeStockOptionMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type: