connote definition - Dictionary

Dictionary

con·note [ kə nṓt ] (past and past participle con·not·ed, present participle con·not·ing, 3rd person present singular con·notes)

transitive verb

Definition:

1. have as additional implied meaning: to imply or suggest something in addition to the literal or main meaning

The word "hearth" often connotes coziness and warmth.

2. imply something else: to imply something else as a condition or a consequence

His reluctance to act connotes cowardice.

[Mid-17th century. < medieval Latin connotare "mark along with" < Latin notare "to mark" < nota "sign"]

Word Usage


	connote or denote? Denote refers to the literal or main meaning of a word, whereas connote refers to its implications or associations. The word family, for example, denotes a group of people related by blood or marriage but connotes the bonds of affection, trust, and loyalty that unite them.