denote
Americanverb (used with object)
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denotes,
present (3rd person singular)
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denoted,
past participle, past
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denoting
present participle
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
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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denotesimple
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denotessimple
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have denotedperfect
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has denotedperfect
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am denotingprogressive
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are denotingprogressive
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is denotingprogressive
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have been denotingperfect progressive
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has been denotingperfect progressive
Past
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denotedsimple
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had denotedperfect
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was denotingprogressive
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were denotingprogressive
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had been denotingperfect progressive
Future
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
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Othello
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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.
See Examples For:
Wilde “read” the water, pointing out the seams on the surface that denote shifting currents.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 5, 2026
Men in the 17th century wore the "periwig" - long, voluminous artificial curls - to denote wealth and high social status.
From BBC ● Jun. 3, 2026
To denote the passage of time and fallibility of memory, Veloso shifted the way he shot the character in each era.
From Los Angeles Times ● Feb. 16, 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
“Worm” was also used to denote an enemy or a coward or anything alien to the Sparra.
From "Redwall" by Brian Jacques
The phrase "that dog in them" is common slang that usually denotes a fierce drive.
From BBC ● Sep. 19, 2026
The school also plans to add a plaque to the facility that denotes that it stands on the ground where Brian Kennedy Field once stood.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 23, 2026
If the name Offa is known at all today, it is because of Offa’s Dyke, an earthwork that roughly denotes the Anglo-Welsh border.
From The Wall Street Journal ● May 21, 2026
She notes how use of the term denotes “superior flavor and nutritional content,” offering baladi butter and home-raised baladi meats as examples of products preferred over those imported or factory-farmed.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 24, 2025
Finally, he produces a term that denotes a coming together of both of those two things—to be countrymen is to experience romanitas as fellowship—and a fraternity between speaker and audience.
From "Words Like Loaded Pistols" by Sam Leith
Snapped in 1988, the photo shows a time he refers to as his “cholo” era, denoted by his subtle pencil mustache and slicked-back hair.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 9, 2026
This zone of extreme pessimism is denoted by the shaded area at the bottom of the chart above.
From MarketWatch ● Apr. 9, 2026
"The Premier League's dominance is just denoted as a matter of fact," Honigstein said.
From BBC ● Jan. 29, 2026
Mr. Robbins returns in the last play, which gives the evening its title, again on a first date, with a character denoted only as Girl, played with cool poise by Dylan Gelula.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 23, 2025
When Newton denoted position with the variable x, he realized that velocity is simply the fluxion—what modern mathematicians call the derivative—of x: x.
From "Zero: The Biography of a Dangerous Idea" by Charles Seife
"Code Purple" alerts, denoting air quality considered very unhealthy for everyone, not just at-risk groups, blanketed much of the city as well as the wider region, including neighboring Virginia and Maryland.
From Barron's ● Jul. 6, 2026
In early scenes, he has a small curved line denoting a chubby chin, which changes over time to straight lines on each cheek, narrowing his face when he is old and infirm.
From MarketWatch ● Mar. 16, 2026
In the northern city of Zanjan, thousands responded to chants memorializing the late Khamenei with the refrain: “We’re your followers, Seyyed Mojtaba,” using an honorific denoting a descendant of the Prophet Muhammad.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Mar. 9, 2026
The death certificate for Katherine Elizabeth Hartley, which was obtained by TMZ, includes a field denoting how the injury occurred.
From Los Angeles Times ● Mar. 3, 2026
I recognised his decisive nose, more remarkable for character than beauty; his full nostrils, denoting, I thought, choler; his grim mouth, chin, and jaw—yes, all three were very grim, and no mistake.
From "Jane Eyre" by Charlotte Brontë
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