The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:

Nomination \Nom`i*na"tion\, n. [L. nominatio: cf. F.
   nomination.]
   [1913 Webster]
   1. The act of naming or nominating; designation of a person
      as a candidate for office; the power of nominating; the
      state of being nominated; as, to win the nomination.
      [1913 Webster]

            The nomination of persons to places being . . . a
            flower of his crown, he would reserve to himself.
                                                  --Clarendon.
      [1913 Webster]

   2. The denomination, or name. [Obs.] --Bp. Pearson.
      [1913 Webster]

WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006):

nomination
    n 1: the act of officially naming a candidate; "the Republican
         nomination for Governor"
    2: the condition of having been proposed as a suitable candidate
       for appointment or election; "there was keen competition for
       the nomination"; "his nomination was hotly protested"
    3: an address (usually at a political convention) proposing the
       name of a candidate to run for election; "the nomination was
       brief and to the point" [syn: nominating speech,
       nominating address, nomination]