| **Derivative financial instruments - Additional Information (Detail) - USD ($) $ in Thousands** | 3 Months Ended | 6 Months Ended |
|-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|----------------|----------------|
||
| **Derivative Instruments and Hedging Activities Disclosure [Abstract]**                         |           |           |   |   |
| Maturity of foreign currency forward contracts                                                  |           |           | 90 days |   |
| Gains (losses) on foreign currency forward contracts                                            | $ (9,080)      | $ (8,133)      | $ (12,678) | $ 1,209 |
| Change in unrealized gain (loss) on foreign currency derivative instruments                     | $ 10,079       | $ 7,357        | $ 14,041 | $ (4,746) |

| X                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        |
|----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| - Definition
Change in Unrealized Gain Loss on Foreign Currency Derivative Instruments Not Designated as Hedging Instruments
+ References
No definition available.
+ Details**Name:**ndsn_ChangeInUnrealizedGainLossOnForeignCurrencyDerivativeInstrumentsNotDesignatedAsHedgingInstruments**Namespace Prefix:**ndsn_**Data Type:**xbrli:monetaryItemType**Balance Type:**credit**Period Type:**duration |
| X                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   |
|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| - Definition
Foreign currency forward contracts maturity period maximum.
+ References
No definition available.
+ Details**Name:**ndsn_ForeignCurrencyForwardContractsMaturityPeriodMaximum**Namespace Prefix:**ndsn_**Data Type:**xbrli:durationItemType**Balance Type:**na**Period Type:**duration |
| X                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     |
|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| - References
No definition available.
+ Details**Name:**us-gaap_DerivativeInstrumentsAndHedgingActivitiesDisclosureAbstract**Namespace Prefix:**us-gaap_**Data Type:**xbrli:stringItemType**Balance Type:**na**Period Type:**duration |
| X                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                               |
|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| - Definition
Amount of gain (loss) recognized in earnings in the period from the increase (decrease) in fair value of foreign currency derivatives not designated as hedging instruments.
+ References
Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 815 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 4A -Subparagraph (b) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=125515794&loc=SL5618551-113959Reference 2: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 815 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 4C -Subparagraph (e) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=125515794&loc=SL5624171-113959
+ Details**Name:**us-gaap_GainLossOnForeignCurrencyDerivativeInstrumentsNotDesignatedAsHedgingInstruments**Namespace Prefix:**us-gaap_**Data Type:**xbrli:monetaryItemType**Balance Type:**credit**Period Type:**duration |