dénomination

Dénomination is a French noun that designates the act or result of giving a name or designation to someone or something. It covers both the process of naming and the name that results from it. In everyday use, a denomination can refer to any label—person, place, object, or concept—and to the particular term by which it is known in a given language or context.

In linguistic and semiotic contexts, denomination relates to how a thing is named and identified, and how different contexts may yield different denominations for the same referent.

In business and law, denomination is used in several precise senses. The dénomination sociale is the official legal name of a company or organization. The nom commercial or enseigne is the public, commercial name under which a business operates, which may differ from its legal name. The distinction between these terms varies by jurisdiction.

In religion, a denomination is a major recognized branch or group within a faith, for example Christian denominations or Buddhist schools.

In finance and everyday currency, denomination refers to the face value of a coin or banknote or of a financial instrument, such as the denomination of 10 euros.

In science, particularly chemistry, denomination is used in the sense of a chemical name or systematic nomenclature; the process is called nomenclature.

The term derives from the French dé- plus nomination, ultimately from Latin nomen, meaning “name.”