Definition & Meaning of "nominal adjective"

What is a "nominal adjective"?

A nominal adjective is an adjective that functions as a noun in a sentence, often referring to a group of people or things characterized by that adjective. This typically occurs when the adjective is used to represent a category or class rather than describing a specific noun. For example, in the phrase "the rich," the adjective "rich" serves as a noun to refer to wealthy people in general. Similarly, in "the poor," "poor" refers to people who are impoverished. Nominal adjectives can help simplify language by allowing adjectives to stand alone as nouns, making it easier to discuss groups based on shared characteristics. Understanding nominal adjectives is important for recognizing how adjectives can function beyond their traditional role in sentences.