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 Perhaps the column after that denotes if a shipping label has been printed. PCMAG, 21 Mar. 2024 Platinum members receive a Castaway Club lanyard denoting their tiered status, the tote bag gifted to Silver members, the wet/dry bag gifted to Gold members, and a beach towel. Jacqueline Dole, Travel + Leisure, 1 Feb. 2024 The transition from a term describing a mixture of flour and water to its current use, denoting a variety of dishes made from such dough, reflects the evolution of culinary practices and the spread of Italian cuisine. Erik Kain, Forbes, 11 Feb. 2024 An intentional walk is denoted by the letters 'IBB.' Who is the all-time leader in walks? USA TODAY, 4 Feb. 2024 The blue map dots denote Brood XIII cicadas and the red dots are areas where Brood XIX has emerged in the past. Denise Chow, NBC News, 20 Jan. 2024 Riley clearly denotes that Black history transcends enslavement. Lynnette Nicholas, Essence, 28 Feb. 2024 Consider what will denote early wins and what will measure long-term success, such as new product launches, enhancements in cybersecurity or the efficiency of business processes. Anand Santhanam, Forbes, 27 Feb. 2024 The name denotes that the results reflect voters' preferences. Sasha Hupka, The Arizona Republic, 20 Feb. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'denote.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

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

Dictionary Entries Near denote

Cite this Entry

“Denote.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/denote. Accessed 28 Mar. 2024.

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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