denomination

[ dih-nom-uh-ney-shuhn ]

noun

1. a religious group, usually including many local churches, often larger than a sect:

   the Lutheran denomination.

2. one of the grades or degrees in a series of designations of quantity, value, measure, weight, etc.:

   He paid $500 in bills of small denomination.

3. a name or designation, especially one for a class of things.
4. a class or kind of persons or things distinguished by a specific name.
5. the act of naming or designating a person or thing.

denomination

/ dɪˌnɒmɪˈneɪʃən /

noun

1. a group having a distinctive interpretation of a religious faith and usually its own organization
2. a grade or unit in a series of designations of value, weight, measure, etc

   coins of this denomination are being withdrawn

3. a name given to a class or group; classification
4. the act of giving a name
5. a name; designation

Derived Forms

• deˌnomiˈnational, adjective
• deˌnomiˈnationally, adverb

Word History and Origins

Origin of denomination¹

First recorded in 1400–50; Middle English denominacioun “name, designation; act of naming or designating,” from Latin dēnōminātiōn- (stem of dēnōminātiō “calling something by other than its proper name, substitution, metonymy,” equivalent to dēnōmināt(us) + -iōn-; denominate, -ion

Word History and Origins

Origin of denomination¹

C15: from Latin dēnōminātiō a calling by name; see denominate

Example Sentences

Notable among the speakers is Walter Kim, a theologian who last year became president of the National Association of Evangelicals — a group of denominations and institutions not known for their support for LGBTQ rights.

From Washington Blade

It joins other denominations which have been eroded by hyperinflation, which soared to 800% in 2020 before slowing down to 106% this year.

From Quartz

Still, countries including Canada and Australia have features on their currency that allow blind people to distinguish one denomination from another.

From Washington Post

QAnon conspiracy theories have burrowed so deeply into American churches that pastors are expressing alarm — and a new poll shows the bogus teachings have become as widespread as some denominations.

From Axios

The “Protocol of Reconciliation and Grace through Separation” would allow the departing congregations to keep their property and give them $25 million to form a new denomination.

From Washington Blade

Reinke lost his pulpit and was drummed out of the conservative Missouri Synod of the Lutheran denomination.

From The Daily Beast

And no religious denomination should be forced to ordain gays or women as priests, right?

From The Daily Beast

When I ask him what religious denomination he represents, he replies, “every.”

From The Daily Beast

We justified the rankings by the reporting and by guidance from those most familiar with each denomination.

From The Daily Beast

Communion practices vary by denomination and even by individual parishes.

From The Daily Beast

No more than one convent of each denomination is allowed to subsist, and great checks are put on the profession of new members.

From Project Gutenberg

He heard the arithmetic class reciting and learned that only things of the same denomination can be subtracted from each other.

From Project Gutenberg

While alone and contented, I was all right, but to return to the denomination would mean to leave both robe and title behind.

From Project Gutenberg

He should have taken those bills far away and had them exchanged for money of smaller denomination.

From Project Gutenberg

After the Mormon fiasco and the evaporation of the Fieldingites, another denomination took it.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• church
• creed
• cult
• faith
• persuasion
• religion
• sect