How to pronounce nominal
Say it like NAH-muh-nul. Nominal has three syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (NAH).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce nominal. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- NAH
- muh
- nul
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Nominal pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- NAHSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "ah" in father.
- muhKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the relaxed "uh" in about.
- nulKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the relaxed "uh" in about.
American vs British pronunciation of nominal
- The short o is rounded in British English (as in "hot"), but open and unrounded in American English.
British respelling: NOM-ih-nul.
What does nominal mean?
- relating to or constituting or bearing or giving a name“the Russian system of nominal brevity”“a nominal lists of priests”
- insignificantly small; a matter of form only (tokenish is informal)“the fee was nominal”“a token gesture of resistance”
- pertaining to a noun or to a word group that functions as a noun“nominal phrase”“noun phrase”
- a phrase that can function as the subject or object of a verb
Where does nominal come from?
From the Middle English nominalle (“of nouns”), borrowed from Latin nōminālis (“of names”), ultimately from oblique stem of Latin nōmen, nōminis (“name”) + -al.
Similar and opposite words
Opposite meaning
Words that rhyme with nominal
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of nominal.
Questions about saying nominal
How do you pronounce nominal?
Say NAH-muh-nul. The American pronunciation is /ˈnɑmənəl/. In British English it is /ˈnɒmɪnəl/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in nominal?
Nominal has three syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (NAH). Broken into parts: NAH · muh · nul.
Is nominal pronounced differently in British English?
Yes. The short o is rounded in British English (as in "hot"), but open and unrounded in American English. The British form is /ˈnɒmɪnəl/ (NOM-ih-nul).