annotate

verb

an·​no·​tate ˈa-nə-ˌtāt How to pronounce annotate (audio)
annotated; annotating

intransitive verb

: to make or furnish critical or explanatory notes or comment

transitive verb

: to make or furnish annotations (see annotation sense 1) for (something, such as a literary work or subject)
annotated his translation of Dante's Divine Comedy
annotative adjective
annotator noun

Examples of annotate in a Sentence

He annotated the text at several places.
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.
Many iPhone users have long wanted an easier way to edit, annotate and scan documents without relying on third-party tools. Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 16 Oct. 2025 Color ereaders like the Kindle Colorsoft and upcoming Kindle Scribe Colorsoft are designed for those looking to read comic books, graphic novels, magazines, and manga, and to annotate documents such as PDF files. PC Magazine, 16 Oct. 2025 Yet, despite this thorough materialism, the survival of Lucretius’ poem depends entirely on two manuscripts copied out in the Carolingian period, and one of them was certainly at the royal court, where it was studied and annotated by the Irish scholar Dungal. Literary Hub, 10 Oct. 2025 Robinson and Quijada annotate Mexodus with lessons on the separate but entwined oppression of Black and Latino people in the United States as well as anecdotes from their own lives, emphasizing the importance of solidarity between the groups. Jackson McHenry, Vulture, 8 Oct. 2025 See All Example Sentences for annotate

Word History

Etymology

Latin annotatus, past participle of annotare, from ad- + notare to mark — more at note

First Known Use

1693, in the meaning defined at transitive sense

Time Traveler
The first known use of annotate was in 1693

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Annotate.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/annotate. Accessed 19 Oct. 2025.

Kids Definition

annotate

verb
an·​no·​tate ˈan-ə-ˌtāt How to pronounce annotate (audio)
annotated; annotating
: to make or add explanatory notes
annotator noun

Legal Definition

annotate

verb
an·​no·​tate ˈa-nə-ˌtāt How to pronounce annotate (audio)
annotated; annotating

intransitive verb

: to make or write an annotation

transitive verb

: to make or write annotations for
annotator noun

More from Merriam-Webster on annotate

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