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 construction2 a: of, relating to, or constituting a name b: bearing the name of a person3 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>4of 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 inflation5: being according to plan : satisfactory <everything was nominal during the launch>

— nom·i·nal·ly adverb