notional

adjective

no·​tion·​al ˈnō-sh(ə-)nəl How to pronounce notional (audio)
1
2
: existing in the mind only : imaginary
3
: given to foolish or fanciful moods or ideas
4
a
: of, relating to, or being a notion or idea : conceptual
b(1)
: presenting an idea of a thing, action, or quality
has is notional in he has luck, relational in he has gone
(2)
: of or representing what exists or occurs in the world of things as distinguished from syntactic categories
notionality noun
notionally adverb

Examples of notional in a Sentence

The notional earnings of the company were close to the actual ones. she has a notional understanding of romantic love but no actual experience of being in love
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
The right wing-back is outstanding at maintaining his width and providing an overlapping option, with the notional right winger (usually either Bergwijn or Simons) dropping inside to create an overload in midfield. Jacob Whitehead, The Athletic, 10 July 2024 Note that the share price of e.l.f. is 26% higher than that of EL, so the notional exposure of one long elf call spread vs one short EL call spread does not offset one another perfectly. Michael Khouw, CNBC, 28 Oct. 2024 Massive volume of over 200 million shares ( three times average volume) states that the nearly $20 billion (notional value) of short positions raced to the exit door. Jeff Kilburg, CNBC, 25 Oct. 2024 Mauritius may have gambled with its national dowry, but its consideration for a destitute citizenry wasn’t merely notional. Gideon Lewis-Kraus, The New Yorker, 21 Oct. 2024 See all Example Sentences for notional 

Word History

First Known Use

1597, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of notional was in 1597

Dictionary Entries Near notional

Cite this Entry

“Notional.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/notional. Accessed 28 Dec. 2024.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!