denomination

denomination — noun

1. a group of people within a larger faith who follow a particular tradition, often

1.名詞B2
釋義

a group of people within a larger faith who follow a particular tradition, often with their own places of worship, leaders, and customs

例句

Caleb attends a Protestant denomination that meets in the old church on Elm Street.

denomination + of: specify which group

The pastor explained how each denomination interprets the religious text differently.

同義詞
  • sect

    often carries a more critical or separatist tone than 'denomination'

  • branch

    more general; can refer to any division of an organization, not just religious

  • faith group

    less formal; emphasizes shared beliefs over organizational structure

文法句型

denomination + of + [religion]

用法筆記

Frequently used when describing branches within Christianity (Catholic, Protestant, Orthodox), but also applies to other religions with distinct subgroups, such as branches of Islam or Buddhism.

常見錯誤

Buddhism is a denomination of Eastern religion.
Buddhism is a religion; Zen Buddhism is one denomination within it.
💡'denomination' refers to a subgroup within a larger religion, not the religion itself.

2. the official value printed on a coin, banknote, or other currency item that show

2.名詞B1
釋義

the official value printed on a coin, banknote, or other currency item that shows how much it is worth

例句

The cashier asked if Adaeze had a smaller denomination bill for the purchase.

collocation: small/large denomination

Yael collects coins of every denomination, from pennies to silver dollars.

coins of every denomination: all value types

同義詞
  • value

    more general; does not specifically refer to printed currency amounts

  • face value

    specifically the printed amount on a financial instrument; more technical

文法句型

denomination + of + [value]

[size] + -denomination + [noun]

用法筆記

Commonly appears in compound adjective form joined by a hyphen: 'large-denomination' or 'small-denomination' (e.g. 'a large-denomination banknote'). The preposition 'of' specifies the particular value ('bills of various denominations').

常見錯誤

This shop only accepts one-hundred denominations.
This shop only accepts one-hundred-dollar bills.
💡'denomination' is the type or unit of value, not the bill or coin itself.

3. a formal name or title given to a person, place, object, or idea within a system

3.名詞C1
釋義

a formal name or title given to a person, place, object, or idea within a system of classification

例句

The island received the denomination 'Pearl of the Indian Ocean' from early traders.

received the denomination + [name]: formal naming

In official records, the building carries the denomination 'Municipal Government Hall'.

同義詞
  • designation

    similar formality; often implies an official or technical label

  • title

    more common than 'denomination'; may imply rank or position

  • appellation

    even more formal and literary; rare in everyday use

文法句型

the denomination + of + [name]

carry the denomination + [title]

用法筆記

A formal or technical choice; in everyday conversation, 'name' or 'title' is far more natural. Typically encountered in academic, historical, or official classification contexts.

常見錯誤

What is the denomination of your cat?
What is the name of your cat?
💡'denomination' is too formal for everyday naming of ordinary things.