WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026
nom•i•nal•ize
(nom′ə nl īz′),USA pronunciation v.t., -ized, -iz•ing.
nom′i•nal•i•za′tion, adj.
- Grammarto convert (another part of speech) into a noun, as in changing the adjective lowly into the lowly or the verb legalize into legalization.
- Linguistics, Grammarto convert (an underlying clause) into a noun phrase, as in changing he drinks to his drinking in I am worried about his drinking.
- nominal + -ize 1650–60