Word: nominal (adjective)

Associations

"Nominal" often means something very small, minimal, or in name only, not in reality.

• "The fee for the service is nominal." — The fee is very small.
• "He is the nominal leader of the group." — He is leader in name, but maybe not in real power.
• "The cost was nominal compared to the benefits." — The cost is very small compared to what you get.

Synonym: "minimal" can sometimes replace "nominal" when talking about small amounts. But "nominal" can also mean "in name only," which "minimal" does not mean.

Substitution

Depending on the meaning:

• For small amounts: "small," "minimal," "token"
• For "in name only": "titular," "formal," "official"

Deconstruction

• Root: from Latin "nomen," meaning "name."
• "Nominal" originally meant "pertaining to a name."
• Over time, it also came to mean "existing in name only" or "very small."

Inquiry

• Can you think of a situation where something is called "nominal" but is not very important in reality?
• Have you ever paid a "nominal" fee for something? What was it?
• How would you explain the difference between a "nominal" leader and a real leader?