being such in name only; so-called; putative: a nominal treaty; the nominal head of the country.
2.
(of a price, consideration, etc.) named as a mere matter of form, being trifling in comparison with the actual value; minimal.
3.
of, pertaining to, or constituting a name or names.
4.
Grammar.
a.
of, pertaining to, or producing a noun or nouns: a nominal suffix.
b.
functioning as or like a noun.
5.
assigned to a person by name: nominal shares of stock.
6.
containing, bearing, or giving a name or names.
7.
(of money, income, or the like) measured in an amount rather than in real value: Nominal wages have risen 50 percent, but real wages are down because of inflation.
8.
Aerospace. performing or achieved within expected, acceptable limits; normal and satisfactory: The mission was nominal throughout.
9.
Slang. done smoothly as expected: The space shot was nominal, proceeding without a hitch.
–noun
10.
Grammar. a word or group of words functioning as a noun.
[Origin: 1425–75; late ME nominalle of a noun < L nōminālis of, belonging to a name, nominal, equiv. to nōmin- (s. of nōmen; see nomen) + -ālis-al1]
Of, resembling, relating to, or consisting of a name or names.
Assigned to or bearing a person's name: nominal shares.
Of, relating to, or being the amount or face value of a sum of money or a stock certificate, for example, and not the purchasing power or market value.
Of, relating to, or being the rate of interest or return without adjustment for compounding or inflation.
Existing in name only.
Philosophy Of or relating to nominalism.
Insignificantly small; trifling: a nominal sum.
Business
Of, relating to, or being the amount or face value of a sum of money or a stock certificate, for example, and not the purchasing power or market value.
Of, relating to, or being the rate of interest or return without adjustment for compounding or inflation.
Grammar Of or relating to a noun or word group that functions as a noun.
Aerospace & Engineering According to plan or design: a nominal flight check.
n.
Grammar
A word or group of words functioning as a noun.
[Middle English nominalle, of nouns, from Latin nōminālis, of names, from nōmen, nōmin-, name; see n-men- in Indo-European roots.]
c.1430, "pertaining to nouns," from L. nominalis "pertaining to a name or names," from nomen (gen. nominis) "name," cognate with O.E. nama (see name). Meaning "of the nature of names" (in distinction to things) is from 1620. Meaning "being so in name only" first recorded 1624.
relating to or constituting or bearing or giving a name; "the Russian system of nominal brevity"; "a nominal lists of priests"; "taxable males as revealed by the nominal rolls"
2.
insignificantly small; a matter of form only ('tokenish' is informal); "the fee was nominal"; "a token gesture of resistance"; "a toknenish gesture"
3.
pertaining to a noun or to a word group that functions as a noun; "nominal phrase"; "noun phrase"
4.
of, relating to, or characteristic of an amount that is not adjusted for inflation; "the nominal GDP"; "nominal interest rates" [ant: real]
5.
named; bearing the name of a specific person; "nominative shares of stock" [syn: nominative]
6.
existing in name only; "the nominal (or titular) head of his party"
noun
1.
a phrase that can function as the subject or object of a verb [syn: noun phrase]
Main Entry: nom·i·nal Pronunciation: 'nä-m&n-&l Function: adjective 1: existing or being something in name or form
but usually not in reality <defenses…raised by the corporation as nominal defendant in a derivative suit —Railroad C. Clark> 2: being so small or trivial as
to be a mere token <charging a nominal fee> 3of a rate of interesta: 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 —compare EFFECTIVE 4 —nom·i·nal·lyadverb
Ac"tu*al\ (#; 135), a. [OE. actuel, F. actuel, L. actualis, fr. agere to do, act.]1. Involving or comprising action; active. [Obs.] Her walking and other actual performances. --Shak. Let your holy and pious intention be actual; that is . . . by a special prayer or action, . . . given to God. --Jer. Taylor. 2. Existing in act or reality; really acted or acting; in fact; real; -- opposed to potential, possible, virtual, speculative, conceivable, theoretical, or nominal; as, the actual cost of goods; the actual case under discussion. 3. In action at the time being; now exiting; present; as the actual situation of the country. Actual cautery. See under Cautery. Actual sin (Theol.), that kind of sin which is done by ourselves in contradistinction to "original sin." Syn: Real; genuine; positive; certain. See Real.
Name\, n. [AS. nama; akin to D. naam, OS. & OHG. namo, G. name, Icel. nafn, for namn, Dan. navn, Sw. namn, Goth. nam[=o], L. nomen (perh. influenced by noscere, gnoscere, to learn to know), Gr. 'o`mona, Scr. n[=a]man. [root]267. Cf. Anonymous, Ignominy, Misnomer, Nominal, Noun.]1. The title by which any person or thing is known or designated; a distinctive specific appellation, whether of an individual or a class. Whatsoever Adam called every living creature, that was the name thereof. --Gen. ii. 19. What's in a name? That which we call a rose By any other name would smell as sweet. --Shak. 2. A descriptive or qualifying appellation given to a person or thing, on account of a character or acts. His name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace. --Is. ix. 6. 3. Reputed character; reputation, good or bad; estimation; fame; especially, illustrious character or fame; honorable estimation; distinction. What men of name resort to him? --Shak. Far above . . . every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come. --Eph. i. 21. I will get me a name and honor in the kingdom. --1 Macc. iii. 14. He hath brought up an evil name upon a virgin. --Deut. xxii. 19. The king's army . . . had left no good name behind. --Clarendon. 4. Those of a certain name; a race; a family. The ministers of the republic, mortal enemies of his name, came every day to pay their feigned civilities. --Motley. 5. A person, an individual. [Poetic] They list with women each degenerate name. --Dryden. Christian name. (a) The name a person receives at baptism, as distinguished from surname; baptismal name. (b) A given name, whether received at baptism or not. Given name. See under Given. In name, in profession, or by title only; not in reality; as, a friend in name. In the name of. (a) In behalf of; by the authority of. " I charge you in the duke's name to obey me." --Shak. (b) In the represented or assumed character of. "I'll to him again in name of Brook." --Shak. Name plate, a plate as of metal, glass, etc., having a name upon it, as a sign; a doorplate. Pen name, a name assumed by an author; a pseudonym or nom de plume. --Bayard Taylor. Proper name (Gram.), a name applied to a particular person, place, or thing. To call names, to apply opprobrious epithets to; to call by reproachful appellations. To take a name in vain, to use a name lightly or profanely; to use a name in making flippant or dishonest oaths. --Ex. xx. 7. Syn: Appellation; title; designation; cognomen; denomination; epithet. Usage: Name, Appellation, Title, Denomination. Name is generic, denoting that combination of sounds or letters by which a person or thing is known and distinguished. Appellation, although sometimes put for name simply, denotes, more properly, a descriptive term, used by way of marking some individual peculiarity or characteristic; as, Charles the Bold, Philip the Stammerer. A title is a term employed to point out one's rank, office, etc.; as, the Duke of Bedford, Paul the Apostle, etc. Denomination is to particular bodies what appellation is to individuals; thus, the church of Christ is divided into different denominations, as Congregationalists, Episcopalians, Presbyterians, etc.
Nom"i*nal\, a. [L. nominalis, fr. nomen, nominis, name. See Name.]1. Of or pertaining to a name or names; having to do with the literal meaning of a word; verbal; as, a nominal definition. --Bp. Pearson. 2. Existing in name only; not real; as, a nominal difference. "Nominal attendance on lectures." --Macaulay.
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Audio Help [nom-uh-nl] Pronunciation Key 
-men- in Indo-European roots.]
