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nomenclature

American  
[noh-muhn-kley-cher, noh-men-kluh-cher, -choor] / ˈnoʊ mənˌkleɪ tʃər, noʊˈmɛn klə tʃər, -ˌtʃʊər /

noun

nomenclatures plural
  1. a set or system of names or terms, as those used in a particular science or art, by an individual or community, etc.

  2. the names or terms comprising a set or system.


nomenclature British  
/ ˈnəʊmənˌkleɪtʃər, nəʊˈmɛnklətʃə /

noun

  1. the terminology used in a particular science, art, activity, etc

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

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Derived Forms

Inflected Forms

Nouns

Etymology

Origin of nomenclature

First recorded in 1600–10, nomenclature is from the Latin word nōmenclātūra “a calling by name, list of names.” See nomenclator, -ure

Explanation

When adjusting to a new job, you may have trouble understanding the nomenclature, or system of naming things, in the workplace. Just remember: they’re "guests," not "customers," and they push a "purchase buggy," not a "shopping cart." The nomen- in nomenclature comes from the Latin word for name. Nomenclature is a system for giving names to things within a particular profession or field. For instance, you may have heard of binomial nomenclature in biology class. It applies to the way of referring to living things by two names, like calling humans Homo sapiens. Biologists all follow the same nomenclature so that they are easily understood by each other.

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Vocabulary lists containing nomenclature

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

The resulting Color Standards and Color Nomenclature, published in 1912, was an immediate hit, selling out several printing runs.

From National Geographic • Dec. 7, 2023

“We don’t do that,” said Gareth Williams, secretary of the naming group, which is called the Working Group for Small Bodies Nomenclature.

From New York Times • Mar. 22, 2023

The “560974 Ugoboncompagni” — Gregory’s birth name was Ugo Boncompagni — was announced along with 72 other named asteroids in the Feb. 27 update of the union’s Working Group for Small Bodies Nomenclature.

From Seattle Times • Feb. 28, 2023

New suggestions are reviewed by the relevant task group and the members of the overall working group and, once approved, are published in the Gazetteer of Planetary Nomenclature.

From Washington Post • Feb. 26, 2019

VI.—Of the Nomenclature of Acids in general, and particularly of those drawn from Nitre and Sea Salt, 66 CHAP.

From Elements of Chemistry, In a New Systematic Order, Containing all the Modern Discoveries by Lavoisier, Antoine

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