Latin Love: nominare

The Latin root "nominare," meaning "to name," is related to those "onym" words: synonym, antonym, homonym! The "onym" root, meaning "name" comes from the Greek language, which explains the "y," the signature letter for words with Greek ancestry.

More Latin Love, Volume II lists:
cadere, fluere, iacere, and vertere!
ELA Common Core State Standard: "Use common, grade-appropriate Greek or Latin affixes and roots as clues to the meaning of a word."
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Full list of words from this list:

words only definitions & notes
  1. synonym
    a word that expresses the same or similar meaning
    As synonyms for inaction, my word processing software offers me “procrastination, dithering, laziness, and sloth”. The Guardian (Jun 24, 2019)
    The root syn- means "with, together" and the suffix -onym means "name," so a synonym is a word meaning the same as another word. Think of synonyms as being like fraternal twins, not identical twins, since most words that are considered synonyms are closely related, but not exactly the same as each other.
  2. homonym
    a word pronounced or spelled the same with another meaning
    “A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms” is an intentionally worded title, one directly referring to the honor bestowed upon Brienne minutes before the midnight of mankind and figuratively playing with “knight” as a homonym. Salon (Apr 22, 2019)
    The root homo- means "same" and the suffix -onym means "name," so homonyms are words that sound or look the same but have different meanings. Elementary students spend lots of worksheet time learning to differentiate between there and their.
  3. antonym
    a word that expresses an opposite meaning
    Among the antonyms for “controversy” are peace and quiet. New York Times (Nov 24, 2012)
    Ant-, from the prefix anti- means "against," and -onym means "name," so antonyms are words that have opposite meanings from each other like night and day or good and evil.
  4. anonymous
    having no known name or identity or known source
    The nonprofit group would not disclose its donors, saying they prefer to remain anonymous because of fears they will be harassed by environmental activists. Reuters (Sep 30, 2019)
    The prefix a- means "not," and the suffix -onym means "name," so anonymous means "having no name." Anonymity is widespread among writers, journalists protecting their sources, as well as financial donors.
  5. eponymous
    relating to a name derived from a person
    Directed by Michael Dougherty, “Godzilla: King of the Monsters” follows the eponymous monster who faces off against his nemesis, King Ghidorah, and other ancient mythic creatures who are wreaking havoc on Earth. Reuters (Jun 2, 2019)
    Something eponymous (from eponym, "giving one's name," and -ous, suffix forming adjectives) takes its name from someone's name or title. Adam's apple, Ferris wheel, and Caesar salad are just a few examples.
  6. pseudonym
    a fake name used to engage in some activity
    Police referred to him only using the pseudonym "Nick", to protect his identity. BBC (Jul 22, 2019)
    Pseudo means "false," and -onym means "name," so a pseudonym is a false name. People often use pseudonyms to protect their anonymity in sensitive situations.
  7. nominal
    existing in name only
    Modern economists tend to think of money as a real, not a nominal, issue; expanding the money supply may raise prices but not affect the volume of goods and services being traded. Economist (Feb 12, 2015)
    Use the adjective nominal to describe something that exists in name only, not in actual fact. For example, a person may be the nominal CEO of a company, but, in fact, wield no actual authority — someone else could be making all the important decisions.
  8. nominate
    propose as a candidate for some honor
    The star, who was nominated for best live act, told the BBC it felt like "a greater achievement when you accomplish something on your own". BBC (Sep 4, 2019)
    To nominate someone is, simply, to put their name forward for some kind of office or honor. Movie stars are famous for saying "It's an honor just to be nominated," when another nominee wins the Academy Award. This statement has become a cliché, but it is, in fact, an honor just to be nominated.
  9. denomination
    a group of religious congregations with its own organization
    The religious leaders we met — Christian, Catholic, Protestant, Muslim and other denominations — expressed that they will mobilize their followers to explain what Ebola is. Nature (May 1, 2019)
    Denomination is from the Latin denominationem, made up of the prefix de-, "completely," and the verb nominare, "to name." Its meaning has changed over the centuries and it has multiple meanings today but the "naming" sense has always remained.
  10. denominator
    the divisor of a fraction
    Here’s the thing: The lowest common denominator across the world, as far as communication goes, is messaging apps. New York Times (Jan 23, 2016)
    Although the word denominator literally means the number under the line in a fraction, that is, the number that "names" the divisor of a fraction, the expression "lowest common denominator" has been extended into ordinary speech, referring to the broadest feature shared by all members of a group.
  11. onomatopoeia
    using words that imitate the sound they denote
    Despite that long history of onomatopoeia in the sport, the Seahawks are now trying to trademark the word “boom” and use it for the team’s own purposes. Seattle Times (Jan 22, 2015)
    Despite its strange sound and weird spelling, the word onomatopoeia has a simple and fun meaning. Words that sound like their meanings are said to be onomatopoetic (the adjective form). Some examples include a dog's "woof," a cat's "meow," and a cow's "moo."
Created on Thu May 23 11:52:06 EDT 2013 (updated Tue Oct 01 11:28:02 EDT 2019)

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