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Origin and history of denomination

denomination(n.)

late 14c., denominacioun, "a naming, act of giving a name to," from Old French denominacion "nominating, naming," from Latin denominationem (nominative denominatio) "a calling by anything other than the proper name, metonymy," noun of action from past-participle stem of denominare "to name," from de- "completely" (see de-) + nominare "to name," from nomen "name" (from PIE root *no-men- "name").

From mid-15c. as "a class name, a collective designation," of things; of persons, "a society or collection of individuals," 1660s. From the first comes the monetary sense (1650s) from the second the meaning "religious sect" (1716).

also from late 14c.

Entries linking to denomination

denominational(adj.)

"pertaining to a religious denomination or sect," 1838; see denomination + -al (1). Related: Denominationalism "tendency to divide into sects or denominations, inclination to emphasize distinguishing characteristics as opposed to general principles" (1845).

subdenomination(n.)

also sub-denomination, "subordinate denomination or class," 1620s, from sub- "inferior part, agent, division, or degree" + denomination.

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appellation
"designation, name given to a person, thing, or class," mid-15c., from Old French apelacion "name, denomination" (12c.), from Latin appellationem (nominative appellatio) "an addressing, accosting; an appeal; a name, title," noun of action from past-participle stem of appellare "a
designation
late 14c., designacioun, "notation, representation, action of pointing or marking out," from Old French designacion or directly from Latin designationem (nominative designatio) "a marking out, specification," noun of action from past participle stem of designare "mark out, devise
Adventist
"one of a religious denomination that believes in or looks for the early second coming of Christ to establish a personal...
methodist
With a capital M-, it refers to the Protestant religious denomination founded 1729 at Oxford University by John and Charles...
Nazarene
-based Protestant denomination (1898 in this sense)....
talent
An ancient denomination of weight, originally Babylonian (though the name is Greek), and varying widely in value among different...
sect
The meaning "separately organized religious body, denomination" is recorded from 1570s in a Protestant context and seems...
nickname
mid-15c., neke name, a misdivision of ekename (c. 1300), an eke name, "a familiar or diminutive name," especially one given in derision or reproach, literally "an additional name," from Old English eaca "an increase," related to eacian "to increase" (cognate with Old Norse auka-n
name
"word by which a person or thing is denoted," Old English nama, noma "name, reputation," from Proto-Germanic *naman- (source also of Old Saxon namo, Old Frisian nama, Old High German namo, German Name, Middle Dutch name, Dutch naam, Old Norse nafn, Gothic namo "name"), from PIE r
mane
"growth of long hair on the back of the neck and shoulders," characteristic of the horse, lion, and some other animals, Old English manu "mane of a horse," from Proto-Germanic *mano (source also of Old Norse mön, Old Frisian mana, Middle Dutch mane, Dutch manen, Old High German m

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