verb
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to be a sign, symbol, or symptom of; indicate or designate
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(of words, phrases, expressions, etc) to have as a literal or obvious meaning
Other Word Forms
- denotable adjective
- denotement noun
- undenotable adjective
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”; note
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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.
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
Inside were the numerous trade certificates he’d earned over the years, along with letters of recommendation and business receipts, which he kept in neat stacks held together by different colored binders to denote the month.
From Los Angeles Times • Dec. 13, 2024
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
They denote the temper and constitution and mind of different individuals.
From "Founding Brothers: The Revolutionary Generation" by Joseph J. Ellis
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.
