nominal
/ˈnɒmɪn(ə)l
/adjective
1(Of a role or status) existing in name only: Thailand retained nominal independence under Japanese military occupation...
- The government plays a nominal role in dictating policy because it cannot monitor local fisheries or enforce fisheries regulations.
- There are then individuals for whom religion plays only a nominal role in constructing a sense of self and of group membership.
- It controlled Cuba even after its nominal independence from 1902, and gained sovereignty over the Panama Canal in 1903.
Synonyms
in name/title only, titular, formal, official, ceremonial;
theoretical, purported, supposed, ostensible;
self-styled, so-called, would-be
1.1Relating to or consisting of names: the streets have names like Third Avenue, but the resemblance to Manhattan is only nominal a nominal roll of the Grenadier Company shows a total of 86 men...
- First, check that your name is on the nominal roll.
- This was made possible by the Department of Veteran's decision to construct a nominal roll of all who served in the Australian Forces during World War Two.
- A nominal roll of all participants will be included.
2(Of a price or charge) very small; far below the real value or cost: they charge a nominal fee for the service...
- While the charges are nominal at government health establishments, often the cost of the medicine they prescribe is steep, especially for the poor.
- Office space will be rented out at nominal prices to IT firms.
- If a nominal charge was introduced to defray the cost, I don't think too many people would complain.
Synonyms
token, symbolic, emblematic, peppercorn;
tiny, minute, minimal, small, infinitesimal, insignificant, trifling, not worth mentioning, not worth bothering about
informal minuscule, piddling, piffling
North American informal nickel-and-dime
rare exiguous
3(Of a quantity or dimension) stated or expressed but not necessarily corresponding exactly to the real value: EU legislation allowed variation around the nominal weight (that printed on each packet)...
- All of these are nominal dimensions and we have to remember that there are always some tolerance spreads in brass.
- Using the Friction Loss Chart as described above, the minimum nominal size of the main line is 3/4 inch.
- We agree that the road runs straight as it passes through the scene and has a nominal width of around 6 metres.
3.1 Economics Expressed in terms of current prices or figures, without making allowance for changes over time: the nominal exchange rate...
- In spite of the existing low nominal interest rates, the real interest rates in the economy are still high, and also the credit off-take is low.
- This is borne out by several studies that concur in stating real and nominal rates ‘are leading indicators of future output.’
- During the transition, inflation would lower real rates; nominal rates would adjust incompletely.
4 Grammar Relating to or functioning as a noun: a nominal group...
- One tends to think of participants in a process as nominal entities designated by noun phrases.
- Similar are sentences in which a pronoun or noun phrase with general reference is used instead of the nominal relative clause.
- It is however a noun and ‘after’ clauses are nominal.
5 informal (Chiefly in the context of space travel) functioning normally or acceptably.Spacecraft operations engineers take control of the satellite after it separates from the launch vehicle up to the time when the satellite is safely positioned in its final nominal orbit....
- Since injection into orbit the spacecraft's behaviour has been nominal.
- They are supplying ‘mission control’ with a steady stream of valuable data and all systems are nominal.
Origin
Late 15th century (as a term in grammar): from Latin nominalis, from nomen, nomin- 'name'.