nomenclature
Americannoun
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a set or system of names or terms, as those used in a particular science or art, by an individual or community, etc.
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the names or terms comprising a set or system.
noun
Other Word Forms
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.
Vocabulary lists containing nomenclature
100 Words Every High School Graduate Should Know
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100 SAT Words Beginning with "N"
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The Namesake
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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.
More than updating nomenclature, they are reclaiming a stolen identity and forcing a collision between manufactured labels and the weight of history.
From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 5, 2026
But as his nomenclature has become longer, the number of soldiers assembled for inspection has shrunk each year with embattled forces deployed to frontlines elsewhere.
From Barron's • Dec. 23, 2025
And they agreed that having Aldama was essential to making the series, particularly when it came to depicting the cheer routines and getting the nomenclature right.
From Los Angeles Times • Nov. 7, 2025
My mom sure knew how to keep a secret, but she had a real lack of imagination for nomenclature.
From Salon • Oct. 15, 2024
“I think the proper nomenclature is gay club, Mom,” Ellis says.
From "Ask the Passengers" by A.S. King
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.
