nominative
Americanadjective
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Grammar.
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(in certain inflected languages, as Sanskrit, Latin, and Russian) noting a case having as its function the indication of the subject of a finite verb, as in Latin Nauta bonus est “The sailor is good,” with nauta “sailor” in the nominative case.
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similar to such a case in function or meaning.
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nominated; appointed by nomination.
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made out in a person's name, as a certificate or security.
noun
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the nominative case.
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a word in the nominative case.
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a form or construction of similar function or meaning.
adjective
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grammar denoting a case of nouns and pronouns in inflected languages that is used esp to identify the subject of a finite verb See also subjective
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appointed rather than elected to a position, office, etc
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bearing the name of a person
noun
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of nominative
1350–1400; < Latin nominātīvus ( see nominate, -ive), replacing Middle English nominatif < Middle French < Latin as above
Vocabulary lists containing nominative
Conventions, Writing, and Speaking & Listening, Unit 1
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Conventions, Writing, and Speaking & Listening, Unit 3
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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.
Cook, a polyglot who can speak six languages, has also been well served by nominative determinism: She is the founder and CEO of the Cook School Cooking School.
From Barron's ● Mar. 13, 2026
It also said its references to PG-13 “qualify as nominative fair use.”
From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 5, 2025
The idea that people grow up to embody their names is a phenomenon called "nominative determinism", Ms Kihm said.
From BBC ● Jan. 9, 2024
The sport’s governing body made a provision for the 2020 Games that allowed athletes to lock up an individual nominative spot if they racked up enough points at World Cup events.
From Seattle Times ● Aug. 2, 2021
That leads to an error called a hypercorrection, in which people use a nominative pronoun in an accusative coordination: Give Al Gore and I a chance to bring America back.
From "The Sense of Style" by Steven Pinker
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.
