notional

[ noh-shuh-nl ]

/ ˈnoʊ ʃə nl /

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See synonyms for notional on Thesaurus.com

adjective

pertaining to or expressing a notion or idea.

of the nature of a notion or idea: a notional response to the question.

abstract, theoretical, or speculative, as reflective thought.

not real or actual; ideal or imaginary: to create a notional world for oneself.

given to or full of foolish or fanciful ideas or moods.

Grammar.

relating to the meaning expressed by a linguistic form.
having full lexical meaning, in contrast to relational.

Semantics. belonging to a class of words that express clear concepts rather than relations between concepts; presentive.Compare relational (def. 3), symbolic (def. 4).

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Origin of notional

First recorded in 1590–1600; notion + -al¹

OTHER WORDS FROM notional

no·tion·al·i·ty, nounno·tion·al·ly, adverbnon·no·tion·al, adjectiveun·no·tion·al, adjective

un·no·tion·al·ly, adverb

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2022

How to use notional in a sentence

Notionally, the speech was merely to announce how many U.S. troops would be withdrawn from Afghanistan over the next 18 months.
The Politics Behind Obama’s Decision|John Barry|June 23, 2011|DAILY BEAST
Had it undertaken to convey, or ought it to be expected to impart anything defined, anything notionally recognizable?
A Dish Of Orts|George MacDonald
And though God be loved as one that is notionally conceived to be best, and most to be loved, yet he is not loved best or most.
A Christian Directory (Volume 1 of 4)|Richard Baxter

British Dictionary definitions for notional

notional

/ (ˈnəʊʃənəl) /

adjective

relating to, expressing, or consisting of notions or ideas

not evident in reality; hypothetical or imaginarya notional tax credit

characteristic of a notion or concept, esp in being speculative or imaginary; abstract

grammar

(of a word) having lexical meaning
another word for semantic

Derived forms of notional

notionally, adverb

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

notional

Origin of notional

OTHER WORDS FROM notional

Words related to notional

How to use notional in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for notional

Derived forms of notional