in grammar, the first case of nouns which are declinable.

The simple position, or laying down of a noun, or name, is called the nominative case; yet it is not so properly a case, as the matter or ground whence the other cases are to be formed, by the several changes and inflections given to this first termination. Its chief use is to be placed in discourse before all verbs, as the subject of the proposition or affirmation.