nominal

Reading level: hard

Estimated CEFR level: C1 — Advanced

Estimated from word frequency; not an official CEFR classification.

Definition

  1. noun a phrase that can function as the subject or object of a verb
  2. adjective relating to or constituting or bearing or giving a name
  3. adjective insignificantly small; a matter of form only (`tokenish' is informal)

Etymology

PIE word *h₁nómn̥ Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *h₁nómn̥ Proto-Italic *nōmn̥ Latin nōmen Proto-Indo-European *h₂el-der.? Proto-Italic *-ālis Latin -ālis Latin nōminālisder. Middle English nominalle English nominal From the Middle English nominalle (“of nouns”), borrowed from Latin nōminālis (“of names”), from nōmen (“name”).

In classic literature

Synonyms

noun phrase, nominal phrase

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