notation
noun
no·ta·tion
nō-ˈtā-shən 
1
: annotation, note
2
a
: the act, process, method, or an instance of representing by a system or set of marks, signs, figures, or characters
b
: a system of characters, symbols, or abbreviated expressions used in an art or science or in mathematics or logic to express technical facts or quantities
Examples of notation in a Sentence
a mathematical notation for computer programming
he had scribbled his notation so quickly I couldn't read it
Recent Examples on the Web
Comparing these numbers, the familiar decimal notation is the most efficient by far: only two digits are needed to write down 17, which could be advantageous for a computer.
—
Manon Bischoff, Scientific American, 18 July 2025
When Paddy was singing his vocal lines, Thomas was very good at taking the best elements from each delivery of a line, not just the notation, not just the phrasing, but also the meaning.
—David Chiu, Forbes.com, 8 July 2025
The handwritten manuscript spans two volumes with more than 500 pages of complicated notations for each instrument in the orchestra.
—Chelsea Bailey, CNN, 2 Feb. 2025
Legend has it that the name Mad River came from a notation Josiah Gregg made on a map in the late 1840s.
—Eureka Times-Standard, Mercury News, 13 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for notation
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Manon Bischoff, Scientific American, 18 July 2025
When Paddy was singing his vocal lines, Thomas was very good at taking the best elements from each delivery of a line, not just the notation, not just the phrasing, but also the meaning.
—David Chiu, Forbes.com, 8 July 2025
The handwritten manuscript spans two volumes with more than 500 pages of complicated notations for each instrument in the orchestra.
—Chelsea Bailey, CNN, 2 Feb. 2025
Legend has it that the name Mad River came from a notation Josiah Gregg made on a map in the late 1840s.
—Eureka Times-Standard, Mercury News, 13 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for notation
Cite this Entry
“Notation.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/notation. Accessed 24 Jul. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
notation
noun
no·ta·tion
nō-ˈtā-shən
1
: note entry 2 sense 3a
make notations on a paper
2
: the act of noting
3
: a system of marks, signs, figures, or characters used to give specified information
musical notation
scientific notation
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