1610, "a name," from Fr. nomenclature, from L. nomenclatura "calling of names," from nomenclator "namer," from nomen "name" + calator "caller, crier," from calare "call out" (see calendar). Nomenclator in Rome was the title of a steward whose job was to announce visitors, and also of a prompter who helped a stumping politician recall names and pet causes of his constituents. Meaning "list or catalogue of names" first attested 1635; that of "system of naming" is from 1664; sense of "terminology of a science" is from 1789.
Main Entry: no·men·cla·ture Pronunciation: 'nO-m&n-"klA-ch&r also nO-'men-kl&-"chu(&)r, -'me[ng]-, -kl&-ch&r,-kl&-"t(y)u(&)r Function: noun : a system of terms used in a particular science; especially: an international system of standardized New Latinnames used in biology for kinds and groups of kinds of animals and plants —see BINOMIAL NOMENCLATURE —no·men·cla·tur·al/"nO-m&n-'klAch-(&-)r&l/adjective —no·men·cla·tur·al·ly/-E/adverb
nomenclature no·men·cla·ture (nō'mən-klā'chər, nō-měn'klə-) n. A system of names used in a science, as of anatomical structures or biological organisms.