Definition of the word denotes

: to serve as an indication of : betoken

: to serve as an arbitrary mark for

: to make known : announce

The word “derby” can denote a horse race or a kind of hat.

Her death denoted the end of an era.

Recent Examples on the Web

The company has wrestled with multiple challenges since Musk took over, including a rocky initial launch — and temporary pause — of a service that allows users to pay $8 a month for a blue check mark, a signal historically used to denote notable accounts that had their identities verified.


—Rachel Pannett And Rachel Lerman, Anchorage Daily News, 27 Mar. 2023




Borow found comfort in the fact that TikTok denotes whether a filter was used on a video and believes that disclosure is helpful in distinguishing what’s real from what’s an aspirational filter.


—Daysia Tolentino, NBC News, 28 Feb. 2023




Why use a bear to denote a market slump?


—Damian J. Troise And Alex Veiga, USA TODAY, 19 May 2022




The maps came from a program called CalTopo that uses colored shading to denote a slope’s steepness.


—Devon O’neil, Outside Online, 28 Feb. 2022




Using ‘bZ’ to denote ‘Beyond Zero,’ the ‘4,’ according to Toyota, refers to body size while the ‘X’ infers body type.


—Peter Lyon, Forbes, 30 Oct. 2021




Dylan Hollingsworth / Bloomberg via Getty Images The changes will denote that the bill wouldn’t apply to the purchase of homestead residences and that dual citizens and permanent residents would be completely exempt.


—Sakshi Venkatraman, NBC News, 1 Mar. 2023




The police arrest anyone for arbitrary offenses related to their pass books, which denote whether or not they’re permitted to walk in a white urban area.


—M. Z. Adnan, The New Yorker, 3 Dec. 2022




Hemp cannabis plants come in strain varieties that denote their potential effects: indica, sativa, and hybrid.


—Dallas News, 17 Sep. 2022


See More

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word ‘denote.’ Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Etymology

Middle French denoter, from Latin denotare, from de- + notare to note

First Known Use

1562, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler

The first known use of denote was
in 1562

ru

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.»

Скорость воспроизведения видео:

• Normal — по умолчанию (1);
• Slow — медленно (0.75);
• Slowest — очень медленно (0.5).

Близкие по звучанию слова

Вы можете улучшить свое произношение слова «denotes», сказав одно из следующих слов:

Разбейте denotes на звуки — произнесите каждый звук вслух

Запишите свой голос, произнося denotes в полных предложениях, затем прослушайте свою речь. Вы сможете легко отмечать свои ошибки.

Работайте над своей интонацией. Ритм и интонация важны для того, чтобы другие поняли, что вы говорите. Послушайте на Youtube, как говорят носители языка.

Other forms: denotes; denoted; denoting

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.»

Definitions of denote

1. “`multi-‘
   denotes `many’”

   synonyms:

   refer

   see moresee less

   types:

   show 13 types…

   hide 13 types…

   convolute, pervert, sophisticate, twist, twist around

   practice sophistry; change the meaning of or be vague about in order to mislead or deceive

   euphemise, euphemize

   refer to something with a euphemism

   come back, hark back, recall, return

   go back to something earlier

   identify, name

   give the name or identifying characteristics of; refer to by name or some other identifying characteristic property

   apply

   refer (a word or name) to a person or thing

   slur

   speak disparagingly of; e.g., make a racial slur

   express, state

   indicate through a symbol, formula, etc.

   enumerate, itemise, itemize, recite

   specify individually

   list, number

   enumerate

   go back, recur

   return in thought or speech to something

   announce

   give the names of

   vote

   express a choice or opinion

   vote

   express one’s choice or preference by vote

   type of:

   intend, mean, signify, stand for

   denote or connote

2. verb

   be a sign or indication of

   “Her smile
   denoted that she agreed”

   Synonyms:

   refer

   have as a meaning

3. verb

   make known; make an announcement

   “She
   denoted her feelings clearly”

   synonyms:

   announce

   see moresee less

   types:

   show 18 types…

   hide 18 types…

   denounce

   announce the termination of, as of treaties

   meld

   announce for a score; of cards in a card game

   report

   announce one’s presence

   report

   announce as the result of an investigation or experience or finding

   blazon out, cry

   proclaim or announce in public

   trump, trump out

   proclaim or announce with or as if with a fanfare

   blare out, blat out

   announce loudly

   call out

   call out loudly, as of names or numbers

   advertise, advertize, publicise, publicize

   call attention to

   post

   publicize with, or as if with, a poster

   sound

   announce by means of a sound

   check in, sign in

   announce one’s arrival, e.g. at hotels or airports

   check out

   announce one’s departure from a hotel

   clock off, clock out, punch out

   register one’s departure from work

   count off

   call in turn from right to left or from back to front numbers that determine some position or function

   headline

   publicize widely or highly, as if with a headline

   ballyhoo

   advertize noisily or blatantly

   bill, placard

   publicize or announce by placards

   type of:

   inform

   impart knowledge of some fact, state or affairs, or event to

DISCLAIMER: These example sentences appear in various news sources and books to reflect the usage of the word ‘denote’.
Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Vocabulary.com or its editors.
Send us feedback

Commonly confused words

of a word

:

to have (something) as a meaning

:

to mean (something)

—

compare connote

:

to show, mark, or be a sign of (something)