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   coins of this denomination are being withdrawn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

Derived 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-; 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

Rhodes, raised as a Swedenborgianist — a Christian denomination that emphasizes “divine love” based on the writings of theologian Emanuel Swedenborg — does not outright reject the comparison.

From Los Angeles Times • May 18, 2026

According to the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, the worker’s Christian denomination celebrates the sabbath on Saturdays.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 14, 2026

Neither of them made any substantive changes to core Roman Catholic doctrine, but when you’re the bishop of Rome and the head of the world’s largest single religious denomination, practice matters more than theory.

From Salon • Apr. 5, 2026

But for High Priest Selah, of Antigua's Nyabinghi denomination of Rastafarians, memories of the harassment he and others once suffered still linger.

From BBC • Jan. 26, 2026

As the denomination grew, Assemblies preachers began speaking not only of heavenly rewards but also of the material blessings God might provide in this world.

From "Class Matters" by The New York Times

Related Words

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