nom.

Writing & Everyday abbreviation · Grammar and Dictionary

nom. stands for Nominative, a grammar and dictionary abbreviation.

Labels the nominative case, the form of a noun or pronoun used as the subject of a verb, in grammars of Latin, Greek, German and other inflected languages. English keeps it only in subject pronouns such as I, he, she, we and they.

Example: Latin dominus (nom. sing.), domini (gen. sing.), meaning "master, lord"

Usage notes

Latin dictionaries list nouns by nominative and genitive singular so learners can identify the declension. The old rule that "to be" takes the nominative explains the formal "It is I," though "It's me" is standard in speech. Linguistic glosses write NOM.

Related abbreviations

More grammar and dictionary abbreviations

• Lat. – Latin
• lit. – Literally
• masc. – Masculine
• ME – Middle English
• n. – Noun
• neut. – Neuter
• NP – Noun phrase
• obj. – Object
• obs. – Obsolete
• occas. – Occasionally
• OE – Old English
• OED – Oxford English Dictionary

See all 93 grammar and dictionary abbreviations →

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