What does nomina mean?
Nomina is a formal plural noun meaning names or designations, particularly those recorded in a catalogue, classification, or scholarly list. It is the plural of the learned singular nomen and is most often encountered in contexts where entities must be identified systematically, such as catalogues of manuscripts, museum collections, taxonomic works, or catalogues of personal names. For example, a librarian may compare the nomina assigned to manuscripts after their records have been revised. The word should not be confused with nominal, an adjective meaning existing in name only or based on an assigned value. Although “names” is the straightforward everyday equivalent, using nomina signals a specialized context and often implies a larger system of labels or designations. Nomina is consequently most natural in professional and academic prose, rather than in ordinary conversation.
nounNomina is the plural of nomen. It refers especially to the names or designations assigned to people, organisms, objects, or other entities in a catalogue, classification, or scholarly list.
- The plural of nomen: names or designations, especially as listed in a catalogue, taxonomy, or scholarly work.
"The nomina of the plant specimens were arranged alphabetically."
"The nomina of the manuscripts were updated after the collection was recatalogued."
"The researchers compared the nomina assigned to the two groups of organisms."
Nomina is already plural; its singular counterpart is nomen.
"The archive changed the nomina of several works when it adopted a new classification system."
Latin nomen means “name”; its plural, nomina, is the catalogue keeper's term for a whole list of names.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of nomina
Nomina comes from Latin nomina, the neuter plural of nomen, meaning “name.” English borrowed nomen as a learned noun and uses nomina in specialized catalogue and classification writing. The same Latin root appears in English words such as nominal, nominate, denomination, and nomenclature.
Related word forms
How nomina is actually used
Nomina is a formal, learned, and chiefly specialist word rather than an everyday plural of “name.” It is especially associated with catalogues, classifications, and other systems of naming.
Easily confused with nomina
Nomen is the singular form, whereas nomina is its plural.
Nominal means existing in name only or measured by an assigned value, while nomina are names or designations themselves.