nominally
UK[ˈnɒmɪnəli]US[ˈnɑːmɪnəli]
adv
In name or form but not in reality or fact.
adv
To a very small degree; insignificantly.
Morpheme Breakdown
nomin
al
ly
nomin
name
al
adjective suffix
ly
adverb suffix
Etymology
The word "nominally" traces its lineage to the Latin nomen, meaning "name," which itself descends from the Proto-Indo-European root h₁nómn̥. The adjective "nominal" was formed in Late Latin as nominalis, meaning "pertaining to a name." The English adverb "nominally" emerged by adding the native adverbial suffix "-ly" to this adjective. The core semantic journey is from the concrete concept of a "name" to the abstract idea of something existing in name or title only, often implying a minimal, symbolic, or theoretical connection to reality rather than a substantive one.
Analysis
Structure: nomin (name) + al (adjective suffix) + ly (adverb suffix)
- nomin: From Latin nomen (name). The root morpheme in English, carrying the core meaning of "name."
- al: A suffix of Latin origin (-alis) used to form adjectives meaning "of, relating to, or characterized by."
- ly: A suffix of Old English origin (-lice) used to form adverbs from adjectives.
Examples
He is nominally in charge of the department, but the assistant manager makes all the decisions.
The project is nominally complete, but several critical features are still missing.
The fee was nominally increased, rising by only a few cents.