connotation
Plural: connotations
Noun
- what you must know in order to determine the reference of an expression
- an idea that is implied or suggested
- 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 attribute or aggregate of attributes connoted by a term, contrasted with denotation.
Examples
- The two expressions "the morning star" and "the evening star" have different connotations but the same denotation (i.e. the planet Venus).
- The word "advisedly" has a connotation of "wisely", although it denotes merely "intentionally" and "deliberately."
- The word "happy" has a positive connotation, while "sad" has a negative connotation.
Origin / Etymology
Borrowed from Medieval Latin connotātiō, from connotō (“I mark in addition”), from Latin con- (“together, with”) + noto (“I note”); equivalent to connote + -ation.
Antonyms
Scrabble Score: 13
connotation: valid Scrabble (US) TWL Wordconnotation: valid Scrabble Word in Merriam-Webster MW Dictionary
connotation: valid Scrabble Word in International Collins CSW Dictionary
Words With Friends Score: 17
connotation: valid Words With Friends Word