Main Entry: ¹nom·i·nal

Pronunciation: \ˈnä-mə-n^əl, ˈnäm-nəl\

Function: adjective

Etymology: Middle English nominalle, from Medieval Latin nominalis, from Latin, of a name, from nomin-, nomen name — more at name

Date: 15th century

1 : of, relating to, or being a noun or a word or expression taking a noun construction
2 a : of, relating to, or constituting a name b : bearing the name of a person
3 a : existing or being something in name or form only <nominal head of his party> b : of, being, or relating to a designated or theoretical size that may vary from the actual : approximate <the pipe's nominal size> c : trifling, insignificant <his involvement was nominal> <charged only nominal rent>
4 of a rate of interest a : equal to the annual rate of simple interest that would obtain if interest were not compounded when in fact it is compounded and paid for periods of less than a year b : equal to the percentage by which a repaid loan exceeds the principal borrowed with no adjustment made for inflation
5 : being according to plan : satisfactory <everything was nominal during the launch>

— nom·i·nal·ly adverb