Denotation - Wikipedia In philosophy and linguistics, [1] the denotation of a word or expression is its strictly literal meaning For instance, the English word "warm" denotes the property of having high temperature Denotation is contrasted with other aspects of meaning, in particular connotation
Denotation - Examples and Definition of Denotation At its simplest, denotation refers to the literal or dictionary definition of a word It is the objective meaning, stripped of any emotional coloring or associations Think of it as the exact meaning you’d find if you looked the word up in a dictionary It is what the word actually is, independent of what it suggests
Denotation: Explanation and Examples - Grammar Monster You will often hear denotation (or denotative meaning) described as "the dictionary definition of a word" and connotation (or connotative meaning) as an additional, unsaid idea or emotion evoked by the word