adjective
nominal
NOM-ih-nl
adjective
1
Existing in name only, rather than in reality or practice.
"He's the nominal head of the company, but his sister makes all the real decisions."
"The fee was purely nominal, just a dollar to make the contract official."
2
Very small in amount, especially referring to a fee or cost.
"They charge a nominal fee just to cover printing costs."
How to Use Nominal
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishIn name only (not in real power or effect), or so small it barely counts.
Common mistake
Don't confuse with "normal" — nominal is about names or token amounts, not about being typical.
Easily confused with
Common pairings
nominal fee
nominal leader
nominal value
Word Forms
nominals plural
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He's the _____ head of the company, but his sister makes all the real decisions.
Etymology
From Latin nominalis, "of names," ultimately from nomen, "name."