nominal

UK: /ˈnɒmɪn^əl/ US: /ˈnɑmənəl/ ,(nom′ə nl)

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2025

nom•i•nal /ˈnɑmənəl/   adj. 

1. being such in name only;
   so-called:
   He was only the nominal head of the country.
2. Business being small or low in amount when compared with the actual value:
   He offered them the house for a nominal price.
3. of, relating to, or being a name or names.
4. Grammar of, relating to, functioning as, or producing a noun:
   The suffix -ness in the word liveliness is a nominal suffix.

nom•i•nal•ly, adv.: 

He's only nominally in charge here.

See -nom-².

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2025

nom•i•nal  (nom′ə nl), adj. 

1. being such in name only;
   so-called;
   putative:
   a nominal treaty; the nominal head of the country.
2. Law (of a price, consideration, etc.) named as a mere matter of form, being trifling in comparison with the actual value;
   minimal.
3. of, pertaining to, or constituting a name or names.
4. Grammar
   • of, pertaining to, or producing a noun or nouns:
     a nominal suffix.
   • functioning as or like a noun.
5. assigned to a person by name:
   nominal shares of stock.
6. containing, bearing, or giving a name or names.
7. Economics, Business (of money, income, or the like) measured in an amount rather than in real value:
   Nominal wages have risen 50 percent, but real wages are down because of inflation.
8. Aerospace performing or achieved within expected, acceptable limits;
   normal and satisfactory:
   The mission was nominal throughout.
9. Slang Terms done smoothly as expected:
   The space shot was nominal, proceeding without a hitch.

n. 

10. Grammar a word or group of words functioning as a noun.

• Latin nōminālis of, belonging to a name, nominal, equivalent. to nōmin- (stem of nōmen; see nomen) + -ālis -al¹
• late Middle English nominalle of a noun 1425–75

Synonyms

• 1. titular, formal.

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

nominal / ˈnɒmɪn^əl/ adjective

1. in name only; theoretical: the nominal leader
2. minimal in comparison with real worth or what is expected; token: a nominal fee
3. of, relating to, constituting, bearing, or giving a name
4. of or relating to a noun or noun phrase

noun

1. a nominal element; a noun, noun phrase, or syntactically similar structure
2. the harmonic an octave above the strike tone of a bell

Etymology: 15th Century: from Latin nōminālis of a name, from nōmen name

ˈnominally adverb