denominational
Americanadjective
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of or relating to a denomination or denominations.
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founded, sponsored, or controlled by a particular religious denomination or sect.
denominational schools.
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limited, conditioned, originating in, or influenced by the beliefs, attitudes, or interests of a religious sect, political party, etc..
denominational prejudice.
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of denominational
First recorded in 1830–40; denomination + -al 1
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.
“An exemption that requires proselytization or exclusive service of co-religionists establishes a preference for certain religions,” Justice Sotomayor said, calling it a “paradigmatic form of denominational discrimination.”
From The Wall Street Journal • Oct. 28, 2025
The NAR poses a radically different paradigm than traditional denominational Christianity of any stripe.
From Salon • Nov. 12, 2023
The Covenant School is part of a network of conservative evangelical churches and private schools in Nashville that is tight knit, even across denominational lines.
From New York Times • Mar. 29, 2023
The YouGov poll comes on the heels of a 2022 survey by Lifeway Research that said most Americans wouldn’t rule out attending a church because of its denominational affiliation.
From Washington Times • Mar. 6, 2023
“I wanted to go to the state university but we couldn’t afford it. My father had to send me to a small denominational college.”
From "A Tree Grows in Brooklyn" by Betty Smith
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
