nominal

American  

[nom-uh-nl] / ˈnɒm ə nl /

adjective

1. being such in name only; so-called; putative.

   a nominal treaty;

   the nominal head of the country.

   Synonyms:

   formal, titular

2. (of a price, consideration, etc.) named as a mere matter of form, being trifling in comparison with the actual or expected amount or value; minimal or insignificant.

   a nominal fee;

   a nominal improvement.

3. of, relating to, or constituting a name or names.

4. Grammar.

   1. of, relating to, or producing a noun or nouns.

      a nominal suffix.

   2. functioning as or like a noun.

5. assigned to a person by name.

   nominal shares of stock.

6. containing, bearing, or giving a name or names.

7. (of money, income, or the like) measured in an amount rather than in real value.

   Nominal wages have risen 50 percent, but real wages are down because of inflation.

8. Chiefly Aerospace. performing or achieved within expected, acceptable limits; normal and satisfactory.

   The mission was nominal throughout.

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noun

1. Grammar. a word or group of words functioning as a noun.

nominal British  

/ ˈnɒmɪnəl /

adjective

1. in name only; theoretical

   the nominal leader

2. minimal in comparison with real worth or what is expected; token

   a nominal fee

3. of, relating to, constituting, bearing, or giving a name

4. grammar of or relating to a noun or noun phrase

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noun

1. grammar a nominal element; a noun, noun phrase, or syntactically similar structure

2. Leisure:Bell-ringing the harmonic an octave above the strike tone of a bell

Other Word Forms

• nominally adverb
• prenominal adjective
• unnominal adjective
• unnominally adverb

Etymology

Origin of nominal

First recorded in 1425–75; late Middle English nominalle “of a noun,” from Latin nōminālis “of, belonging to a name or names, nominal,” equivalent to nōmin- (stem of nōmen ) + -ālis adjective suffix; see nomen, -al ¹

Explanation

Schools, libraries, and other organizations often ask you to make a nominal donation to their cause. While you want to support many causes, these nominal donations soon add up to a substantial portion of your budget! Another meaning for the adjective nominal is "in name only" or only having a title. The CEO is the nominal head of the company, but you know his assistant is one who is really in charge of the day-to-day business of the company. He is the go-to person for signing invoices, purchase orders, and resolving personnel issues.

Example Sentences

Its nominal gross domestic product was equivalent to about $30 billion in 2024, according to Seoul's official estimate -- a tiny fraction of the South Korean economy, one of the most developed in the world.

From Barron's • Apr. 21, 2026

As to Duncan, the nominal star of the show, it doesn’t matter whether he’ll win or lose — there’s not enough to hang on to.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 12, 2026

Treasury real yields — reflecting the difference between nominal yields and inflation — are higher than at any time since the 2008 global financial crisis, as you can see from the chart below.

From MarketWatch • Apr. 8, 2026

As for the nominal head of the dictatorship, Gabrielle Weiniger and David Charter report for The Times of London:

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 7, 2026

With Dagmer Cleft jaw along as well, his command would be purely nominal.

From "A Clash of Kings" by George R.R. Martin

Related Words

• minimal
• symbolic
• token