| denotation |
| Definition - A word's literal meaning. Notes: 1. As opposed to connotation, which is the additional ideas and feelings that the word evokes. |
|
Example - The name Hiroshima denotes a city in Japan; it connotes much more. |
|
Etymology - The word derives from the Latin de, completely + notare, to mark. |
|
Oxford English Dictionary - Its first citation in this sense is from 1614: "Time hath brought the word knave to a denotation of ill qualities." (Selden Titles Hon. 341 ) |
