denote

verb

de·​note di-ˈnōt 

dē-

denoted; denoting; denotes

transitive verb

1

: to serve as an indication of : betoken

But as yet, no floating bough, no tern … to denote our proximity to land.

—Herman Melville

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

di-ˈnōt-mənt 

dē-

noun

Synonyms of denote

• signify
• mean
• imply
• indicate

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

The Ordinary denotes this serum as a high-strength retinol formula suitable for people who have already built up a tolerance to lower-concentration retinol products, such as the brand’s beginner and intermediate serums. — Sian Babish, PEOPLE, 18 Aug. 2026

Eligible cars would receive special license plates denoting the car as a historic vehicle and be insured as collector motor vehicles. — Sofia Williams, Sacbee.com, 13 Aug. 2026

One of the factors that may cause this type of aHUS is pregnancy, as denoted by p-aHUS. — Yi-Jin Yu, ABC News, 13 Aug. 2026

In astronomy, an extremely red object frequently denotes a lot of dust, which can obscure its true nature. — Andrew Paul, Popular Science, 12 Aug. 2026

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

Rhymes for denote

• afloat
• azote
• banknote
• bareboat
• benzoate
• connote
• cutthroat
• demote
• devote
• endnote
• footnote
• greatcoat

Kids Definition

denote

verb

de·​note di-ˈnōt 

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