Main Entry: de·note

Pronunciation: \di-ˈnōt, dē-\

Function: transitive verb

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

Date: 1562

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 b : to stand for : designate

— de·note·ment \-ˈnōt-mənt\ noun