denomination

American  

[dih-nom-uh-ney-shuhn] / dɪˌnɒm əˈneɪ ʃən /

noun

denominations plural

1. a religious group, usually including many local churches, often larger than a sect.

   the Lutheran denomination.

2. one of the grades or degrees in a series of designations of quantity, value, measure, weight, etc..

   He paid $500 in bills of small denomination.

3. a name or designation, especially one for a class of things.

4. a class or kind of persons or things distinguished by a specific name.

5. the act of naming or designating a person or thing.

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denomination British  

/ dɪˌnɒmɪˈneɪʃən /

noun

1. a group having a distinctive interpretation of a religious faith and usually its own organization

2. a grade or unit in a series of designations of value, weight, measure, etc

   coins of this denomination are being withdrawn

3. a name given to a class or group; classification

4. the act of giving a name

5. a name; designation

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• denominational
  adjective
• denominationally
  adverb

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• denominations
  plural

Etymology

Origin of denomination

First recorded in 1400–50; Middle English denominacioun “name, designation; act of naming or designating,” from Latin dēnōminātiōn- (stem of dēnōminātiō “calling something by other than its proper name, substitution, metonymy,” equivalent to dēnōmināt(us) + -iōn-; see origin at denominate, -ion

Explanation

A denomination is a way of classifying things — it names the type or value of something. Denomination often refers to money. For example, $20 bills are of the same denomination. When denomination is applied to money, you’ll often hear the terms “lower denomination” or “higher denomination.” If you hand the cashier a $50 bill to pay for your latte, she might ask if you have a bill in a lower denomination — she’s asking for a smaller bill, like a $5 or a $10. Denomination can apply to other things that are categorized by type, such as playing cards or groups within the same religious tradition.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

denomination denominations

Levy plays Nicky, a pastor at a sparsely attended suburban New Jersey church of no evident denomination.

From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 15, 2026

Megan Sullivan, a Mint official, said final decisions on the size and denomination of the limited-production coin haven’t been made yet.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Mar. 19, 2026

In December, the head of Hegseth’s church’s denomination, Doug Wilson, celebrated the secretary as a counterweight to “men with a My-Little-Pony fetish.”

From Salon ● Mar. 13, 2026

It is the third largest Christian denomination after Catholicism and the Eastern Orthodox Church, giving its leaders a huge platform when speaking about issues such as climate change, human rights, or efforts for global peace.

From BBC ● Mar. 2, 2026

As Equiano explained, “These overseers are indeed for the most part persons of the worst character of any denomination of men in the West Indies.”

From "Sugar Changed the World: A Story of Magic, Spice, Slavery, Freedom, and Science" by Marc Aronson

He said Mass at our reunion, and classmates of all denominations attended and were inspired by his homily.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 8, 2026

Of those 31 categories, 22 are variations of Christianity, most major Protestant denominations.

From Salon ● Jun. 6, 2026

Runners-up win smaller denominations of cash and prize packages.

From Barron's ● May 29, 2026

Many more leave the faith than adopt it, at rates that far exceed other Christian denominations.

From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 14, 2026

On Sundays, blacks had the choice of more than a dozen churches of various Christian denominations.

From "A Few Red Drops: The Chicago Race Riot of 1919" by Claire Hartfield

Related Words

• church
• creed
• cult
• faith
• persuasion
• religion
• sect