verb
-
to be a sign, symbol, or symptom of; indicate or designate
-
(of words, phrases, expressions, etc) to have as a literal or obvious meaning
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of denote
First recorded in 1585–95; from Middle French dénoter, Latin dēnotāre “to mark out,” equivalent to dē- de- + notāre “to mark”; see note
Compare meaning
How does denote compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:
Explanation
To denote is to draw attention to something or to show what it means. All of the googly-eyed looks that a girl gives to a boy might do more to denote her feelings for him than leaving a note in his locker. Denote comes from the Latin root dēnotāre, "to mark out." Using a particular facial expression can denote meaning, as in, "All of the crinkled foreheads and squinted eyebrows denoted a lack of understanding among the math students." Words and symbols also point to, or denote, meaning, "If he had used PST to denote the fact that he was in the Pacific time zone, she would have known that it was only 4:00 a.m. and too early to call from New York."
Vocabulary lists containing denote
Romeo and Juliet
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
Dictionary Words: Lexicography Lingo
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
Othello
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Two official signs, placed by the city, denote the location’s significance.
From Los Angeles Times • May 12, 2026
As part of her quest to revive N|uu, she and her granddaughter, Claudia Snyman, established a school for the language, which uses special characters in script to denote the verbal clicks.
From Barron's • Oct. 10, 2025
As per WHO, air with AQI values at or below 100 is considered to be satisfactory for breathing, while readings in the 400-500 range denote that pollution levels are "severe" in an area.
From BBC • Nov. 13, 2024
"Iran," however, is rooted in the word "Aryan," meaning "Land of the Aryans," and has been used locally since the Sassanian era to denote the broader realm of the Persian empires.
From Salon • Sep. 15, 2024
Pangenetics seemed an obvious choice—extending de Vries’s use of the word pangene to denote the units of heredity.
From "The Gene" by Siddhartha Mukherjee
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
