nomenclature

noun

no·​men·​cla·​ture ˈnō-mən-ˌklā-chər How to pronounce nomenclature (audio)
 also  nō-ˈmen-klə-ˌchu̇r,
-ˈmeŋ-,
-chər,
-ˌtyu̇r,
-ˌtu̇r
1
: name, designation
… the changing nomenclature of her streets is even more baffling …Cornelia O. Skinner
2
: the act or process or an instance of naming
nomenclature … is at its simplest the task of assigning a name to each distinct speciesR. I. Smith
3
a
: a system or set of terms or symbols especially in a particular science, discipline, or art
the nomenclature of inorganic chemistry
b
: an international system of standardized New Latin names used in biology for kinds and groups of kinds of animals and plants
nomenclatural adjective

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Are nomenclature and Name Synonymous?

Nomenclature comes from a Latin word meaning "the assigning of names." English's name and noun are rooted in the Latinate nomen.

Examples of nomenclature in a Sentence

the nomenclatures of zoology and chemistry the nomenclature, “tuxedo,” derives from the fact that the jacket first became popular in the resort area of Tuxedo Park, New York
Recent Examples on the Web But despite intersecting cultural constructions of beauty standards and profit, an achingly slow evolution has brought us to a formidable new frontier, where a changing landscape demands new nomenclature as the nexus of cinematic output and availability has changed. Nicholas Bell, SPIN, 4 Sep. 2024 Other elements of the project include taxiway intersections P, A, and B being reconstructed and updating the taxiway nomenclature for the entire airfield to meet current Federal Aviation Administration standards. Kerria Weaver, The Arizona Republic, 3 Sep. 2024 Showrunner Issa López seems to be hinting at that based on nomenclature; as has been noted in Vanity Fair and elsewhere online, Raymond Clark also happens to be the name of a Yale lab tech who pleaded guilty in 2011 to the murder of a graduate student whose name was … Annie Le. Jen Chaney, Vulture, 21 Jan. 2024 The company that made its brand name the accepted nomenclature for finding all the information on the Internet has lost a major antitrust case brought by the Department of Justice. Quartz Staff, Quartz, 9 Aug. 2024 See all Example Sentences for nomenclature 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'nomenclature.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

borrowed from Latin nōmenclātūra "assigning of names to things," from nōmen "name" + calātus, past participle of calāre "to announce, proclaim" + -ūra -ure — more at name entry 1, low entry 3

Note: The Latin word is formed after earlier nōmenclātor "slave tasked with telling his master the names of clients and others encountered publicly"—see nomenclator.

First Known Use

1610, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of nomenclature was in 1610

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Dictionary Entries Near nomenclature

Cite this Entry

“Nomenclature.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/nomenclature. Accessed 7 Oct. 2024.

Kids Definition

nomenclature

noun
no·​men·​cla·​ture ˈnō-mən-ˌklā-chər How to pronounce nomenclature (audio)
: a system of terms used in a particular science, field of knowledge, or art
especially : the scientific names for plants and animals used in biology compare binomial nomenclature
Etymology

from Latin nomenclatura "a calling by name, list of names," derived from nomen "name" and calatus, past participle of calare "to call"

Medical Definition

nomenclature

noun
no·​men·​cla·​ture
ˈnō-mən-ˌklā-chər also nō-ˈmen-klə-ˌchu̇(ə)r, -ˈmeŋ-, -klə-chər, -klə-ˌt(y)u̇(ə)r
: a system of terms used in a particular science
especially : an international system of standardized New Latin names used in biology for kinds and groups of kinds of animals and plants see binomial nomenclature
nomenclatural adjective
nomenclaturally adverb

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