different between notional vs whimsical

English

Etymology

notion +? -al

Pronunciation

• (UK) IPA^(key): /?n????n?l/
• Rhymes: -????n?l

Adjective

notional (comparative more notional, superlative most notional)

1. Of, containing, or being a notion; mental or imaginary.
2. Speculative, theoretical, not the result of research.

   This paper proposes a notional Federated Identity Management (FIM) architecture.

3. (linguistics) Having descriptive value as opposed to a syntactic category.
4. (finance) Used to indicate an estimate or a reference amount
5. (informal) Full of ideas or imaginings.
   • 1995, Walter D. Edmonds, In the Hands of the Senecas (page 137)

     She knew what Pete would say if she told him about it — he would say she was getting notional; and she did not want Pete to think of her as a notional woman. Notional women sometimes had a hard time marrying unless they had money.

Derived terms

• notionality
• notionally

Translations

Noun

notional (plural notionals)

1. A fake company used as a front in espionage.
   • 2012, Joseph C. Goulden, Peter Earnest, The Dictionary of Espionage: Spyspeak Into English (page 157)

     Numerous CIA notionals, created to counter Communist organizations in Western Europe during the Cold War years, remain active and unrevealed.

English

Etymology

From whimsy +? -ical.

Pronunciation

• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /?w?mz?k?l/
• Hyphenation: whim?si?cal

Adjective

whimsical (comparative more whimsical, superlative most whimsical)

1. Given to whimsy.

Synonyms

• idiosyncratic, outlandish, peculiar, pixilated, playful, quirky, unconventional
• See also Thesaurus:witty

Derived terms

• whimsical sex

Related terms

• whimsically

Translations