connotation

Meanings

1. 1
   noun

   A meaning of a word or phrase that is suggested or implied, as opposed to a denotation, or literal meaning. A characteristic of words or phrases, or of the contexts that words and phrases are used in.

   The word "advisedly" has a connotation of "wisely", although it denotes merely "intentionally" and "deliberately."

2. 2
   noun

   The attribute or aggregate of attributes connoted by a term, contrasted with denotation.

   The two expressions "the morning star" and "the evening star" have different connotations but the same denotation (i.e. the planet Venus).

3. 3
   noun

   an idea that is implied or suggested

4. 4
   noun

   what you must know in order to determine the reference of an expression

Etymology

Borrowed from Medieval Latin connotātiō, from connotō (“to mark in addition”), from Latin con- (“together, with”) + notō (“to note”); equivalent to connote + -ation.