The adjective nominal (ultimately from Latin nōmen, "name") generally relates to the concept of names, and often to the difference between what something is in name (ideally or theoretically) and what it's in reality. General principles A nominal quantity (for example, length, diameter, speed, volume, voltage, value) is generally the ideal quantity according to which some item has been named. Such a nominal value may often be different from the actual value, having a relation to the actua… (More on Nominal)