denomination

American  

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

noun

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   coins of this denomination are being withdrawn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

• denominational adjective
• denominationally adverb

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-; 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

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

The most striking example of change in how evangelicals see themselves and their place in the world may be the Assemblies of God, a Pentecostal denomination.

From "Class Matters" by The New York Times

Related Words

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