notional

[noh-shuh-nl] /ˈnoʊ ʃə nl/
adjective
1.
pertaining to or expressing a notion or idea.
2.
of the nature of a notion or idea:
a notional response to the question.
3.
abstract, theoretical, or speculative, as reflective thought.
4.
not real or actual; ideal or imaginary:
to create a notional world for oneself.
5.
given to or full of foolish or fanciful ideas or moods.
6.
Grammar.
  1. relating to the meaning expressed by a linguistic form.
  2. having full lexical meaning, in contrast to relational.
7.
Semantics. belonging to a class of words that express clear concepts rather than relations between concepts; presentive.
Compare relational (def 3), symbolic (def 4).
Origin
1590-1600; notion + -al1
Related forms
notionality, noun
notionally, adverb
nonnotional, adjective
unnotional, adjective
unnotionally, adverb
Examples from the web for notional
  • Theoretical lobby with putative elevator leads to five notional floor-thru lofts.
  • In this notional construct, war became not destructive, but constructive.
  • Temperance was always a more notional than an actual virtue round here.
  • The government charges departments a notional amount each year to cover the increase in future liabilities.
  • The flaws in measuring risk, and the emphasis on net rather than notional exposures, are also known hazards.
  • The last elected seat went to an independent, giving the centre-left a notional majority of one.
  • Employers make contributions, too, but these are notional since the taxpayer picks up the bill for them.
  • notional amounts are often not a good measure of the credit risk that is actually transferred in a particular transaction.
British Dictionary definitions for notional

notional

/ˈnəʊʃənəl/
adjective
1.
relating to, expressing, or consisting of notions or ideas
2.
not evident in reality; hypothetical or imaginary: a notional tax credit
3.
characteristic of a notion or concept, esp in being speculative or imaginary; abstract
4.
(grammar)
  1. (of a word) having lexical meaning
  2. another word for semantic
Derived Forms
notionally, adverb
Word Origin and History for notional
adj.

"pertaining to notions," 1590s, from notion + -al (earlier nocional, late 14c., from Medieval Latin notionalis). Meaning "full of whims" is from 1791. Grammatical sense is from 1928 (Jespersen); economics use is from 1958.