denote

verb

de·​note di-ˈnōt How to pronounce denote (audio)
dē-
denoted; denoting; denotes

transitive verb

1
: to serve as an indication of : betoken
the swollen bellies that denote starvation
2
: to serve as an arbitrary mark for
red flares denoting danger
3
: to make known : announce
his crestfallen look denoted his distress
4
a
: to serve as a linguistic expression of the notion of : mean
in the southern U.S., the word "toboggan" denotes a stocking cap
b
: to stand for : designate
the symbol / denotes "or," "and or," or "per"
An epiphany is, literally, a showing. In Christian terminology it denotes the showing of the infant Jesus to the three Magi.David Lodge
denotement noun

Examples of denote in a Sentence

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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
The varying activity in these voxels creates patterns akin to fingerprints that denote different states of mind or types of mental activity. Quanta Magazine, 21 Feb. 2025 Naturally, that depends on how many items there are in the first place, a value typically denoted by n. Steve Nadis, WIRED, 16 Feb. 2025 For many years, SDSU held the far lower classification of R2, which denotes schools that spend $5 million or more on research and award at least 20 doctoral research degrees. Gary Robbins, San Diego Union-Tribune, 13 Feb. 2025 The order ignited suits from 22 different states as well as civil rights groups who argued the order ran afoul of the law by denoting citizenship based on the immigration status of their parents. Rebecca Beitsch, The Hill, 23 Jan. 2025 See All Example Sentences for denote

Word History

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

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Denote.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/denote. Accessed 4 Mar. 2025.

Kids Definition

denote

verb
de·​note di-ˈnōt How to pronounce denote (audio)
1
: to mark out plainly : point out : indicate
the hands of a clock denote the time
2
: to make known : show
smiled to denote pleasure
3
: to have the meaning of : mean, name
the word "derby" can denote a horse race or a kind of hat

More from Merriam-Webster on denote

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