connotative

[ kon-uh-tey-tiv, kuh-noh-tuh- ]

adjective

1. (of a word or expression) signifying or suggestive of an associative or secondary meaning in addition to the primary meaning:

   His singing voice can best be described by the connotative word “velvet.”

Word History and Origins

Origin of connotative¹

First recorded in 1610–20; from Medieval Latin connotātīvus, equivalent to connotāt(us), past participle of connotāre connote ( def ) + -īvus -ive ( def )

Example Sentences

Meaning here, then, can be neither the connotative nor denotative reference of a term; they are covered by the two prior formulae.

From Project Gutenberg

The third division is into Connotative and Non-connotative (the latter being wrongly called Absolute).

From Project Gutenberg

When the positive is connotative, so is the corresponding negative, for the non-possession of an attribute is itself an attribute.

From Project Gutenberg

The turbulent voices, even Guy Pollock being connotative beside her, were nothing.

From Project Gutenberg

The workings of my thought thus determine both its denotative and its connotative significance more fully.

From Project Gutenberg