• Today's Word

Notional

🔊 Listen to the word Notional

NOH-shun-ul

Definition

(adjective) Existing only in theory or as an idea; not based on fact or reality; speculative or imaginary.

Example

The architect’s notional plan for a self-sustaining city sounded brilliant in the boardroom, but engineers quickly pointed out it had no basis in practical reality.

Word Origin

Notional derives from the Latin notio, meaning “concept” or “idea,” itself from noscere, meaning “to know.” It entered English in the late 16th century, initially used in philosophical and logical contexts to describe things that exist purely as mental constructs rather than physical realities.

Fun Fact

In finance, “notional value” is a term used to describe the face value of a financial contract — particularly in derivatives trading — that doesn’t actually change hands but serves as the theoretical basis for calculating payments. The global derivatives market has a notional value estimated in the hundreds of trillions of dollars, meaning most of that staggering number exists purely on paper, as a notional figure rather than real money anyone holds.