What context can I use each word in?
Learn when and how to use these words with these examples!
denominational
Example
The school has a denominational affiliation with the Catholic Church. [denominational: adjective]
Example
The denominational differences between Protestantism and Catholicism are significant. [denominational: adjective]
denominative
Example
The word 'apple' is a denominative noun. [denominative: adjective]
Example
In the sentence 'John is a doctor', 'doctor' is a denominative predicate noun. [denominative: adjective]
Good things to know
Which word is more common?
Denominational is more commonly used than denominative in everyday language, especially in religious contexts. However, denominative is more common in academic or technical contexts, particularly in linguistics and grammar.
What’s the difference in the tone of formality between denominational and denominative?
Both denominational and denominative are formal words that are typically used in academic or technical writing. However, denominational may also be used in informal contexts when discussing religion or religious beliefs.