nominal par

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026

nom′inal par′, [Finance.]

1. Business See under par (def. 4b).

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2026

par¹ /pɑr/   n., adj., v., parred, par•ring. 
n. 

1. an equality in value;
   a level of equality:
   [countable* usually singular;

   on/at + a + ~]

   The company saw its gains rise on a par with losses.
2. an average or normal amount, degree, etc.:
   [uncountable] He doesn't look up to par these days; maybe he's tired.
3. Sport [uncountable] the number of golf strokes set as a standard for a certain hole or a complete course.

v. [~ + object]

4. [Golf.] to hit the number of strokes that equals par on (a hole or course):
   parred the last two holes.

Idioms

5. Idioms par for the course, [be + ~] exactly what one might expect;
   typical:
   His nasty behavior is par for the course in that company.

See -par-.
-par-, root. 

1. -par- comes from Latin, where it has the meaning "equal;
   a piece.'' This meaning is found in such words as: apart, apartheid, bipartisan, comparable, compare, compartment, counterpart, depart, department, departure, disparage, impart, incomparable, pair, par, parenthesis, part, partial, participle, particle, particular, partisan, partition, party, repartee.

par.,  an abbreviation of:

1. paragraph.
2. parallel.
3. parenthesis.

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026

par¹  (pär), n., adj., v., parred, par•ring. 
n. 

1. an equality in value or standing;
   a level of equality:
   The gains and the losses are on a par.
2. an average, usual, or normal amount, degree, quality, condition, standard, or the like:
   above par; to feel below par.
3. Sport [Golf.] the number of strokes set as a standard for a specific hole or a complete course.
4. Business [Finance.]
   • the legally established value of the monetary unit of one country in terms of that of another using the same metal as a standard of value.
   • the state of the shares of any business, undertaking, loan, etc., when they may be purchased at the original price (issue par) or at their face value (nominal par). 
5. Business, Business at par, [Finance.] (of a share) purchasable at issue par or nominal par.
6. Idioms par for the course, exactly what one might expect;
   typical:
   They were late again, but that's par for the course.

adj. 

7. average or normal.
8. Business [Finance.] at or pertaining to par:
   the par value of a bond.

v.t. 

9. [Golf.] to equal par on (a hole or course).

• Latin pār equal
• 1615–25

par²  (pär), adj. [Insurance.]

1. Insurance, Business of or pertaining to participating insurance.

• shortening of participating

par-, 

1. var. of para- ¹ before a vowel:
   parenchyma.

par., 

1. paragraph.
2. parallel.
3. parenthesis.
4. parish.