note

verb

\ ˈnōt

noted; noting

Definition of note

(Entry 1 of 2)

1a : to notice or observe with care … instructors had noted that he did not perform well under pressure.— Stephan Wilkinson

b : to record or preserve in writing The detective noted the details of the witness's account of the robbery.

2a : to make special mention of or remark on The commendation notes the bravery of the fire fighter.

b : indicate, show Records fail to note what became of him.

note

noun

Definition of note (Entry 2 of 2)

1a(1) obsolete : melody, song

(2) : tone sense 2a

(3) : call, sound especially : the musical call of a bird

b : a written symbol used to indicate duration and pitch of a tone by its shape and position on the staff

2a : a characteristic feature (as of odor or flavor)

b : something (such as an emotion or disposition) like a note in tone or resonance a note of sadness end on a high note

3a(1) : memorandum

(2) : a condensed or informal record

b(1) : a brief comment or explanation

(2) : a printed comment or reference set apart from the text

c(1) : a written promise to pay a debt

(2) : a piece of paper money

(3) : a government or corporate bond usually with a maturity of between two and ten years

d(1) : a short informal letter

(2) : a formal diplomatic communication

e : a scholarly or technical essay shorter than an article and restricted in scope

f : a sheet of notepaper

4a : distinction, reputation a figure of international note

b : observation, notice took full note of the proceedings

c : knowledge, information

Other Words from note Synonyms Choose the Right Synonym More Example Sentences Learn More about note

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Choose the Right Synonym for note

Noun

sign, mark, token, note, symptom mean a discernible indication of what is not itself directly perceptible. sign applies to any indication to be perceived by the senses or the reason. encouraging signs for the economy mark suggests something impressed on or inherently characteristic of a thing often in contrast to general outward appearance. a mark of a good upbringing token applies to something that serves as a proof of something intangible. this gift is a token of our esteem note suggests a distinguishing mark or characteristic. a note of irony in her writing symptom suggests an outward indication of an internal change or condition. rampant crime is a symptom of that city's decay

Examples of note in a Sentence

Verb

You may have noted my late arrival. The thing to note here is that people are suffering. It's interesting to note how quickly things have changed. Their objections were duly noted. As one official noted, the situation has begun to get out of control. As noted above most people survive the disease. “They've asked us to leave,” he noted with amusement.

Noun

She wrote a note to remind herself about the appointment. I left you a note on the kitchen table. making notes in the margins of a book She jotted down a few notes during the interview. After class, I usually study my notes and read the next chapter. I can't come to class today. Would you mind taking notes for me? His secretary took notes during our meeting. Please include a brief note about where the picture was taken. He writes in the program notes that the play was inspired by his own childhood. One final note: tickets will be available at the door the night of the concert.

Recent Examples on the Web: Verb

But the price is worth noting, too: as low as $279.99, the company said at CES 2019 in Las Vegas. — Mark Hachman, PCWorld, "Acer's Chromebook 315 pairs an AMD processor with a 15.6-inch display for as low as $279.99," 6 Jan. 2019 But YouTube notes that the content is determined by a mix of human supervised machines, user input, and human review. — Marisa Lascala, Good Housekeeping, "Parents, The Momo Challenge Isn't the Video You Need to Be Worrying About on YouTube," 28 Feb. 2019 And that number could be higher, but not all states have strong animal surveillance systems, the organization notes. — Korin Miller, SELF, "What You Need to Know About So-Called 'Zombie' Deer Disease," 20 Feb. 2019 Kruszka notes that the most important elements of the restyled dressing rooms were sourcing the right size and style of furniture, and maximizing the space in order to comfortably fit a bride (in a wedding dress!), and three guests. — Maya Mcdowell, House Beautiful, "Wayfair Registry Teamed up with Kleinfeld Bridal to Revamp Two of the VIP Dressing Rooms," 19 Feb. 2019 As noted by Variety, Hannah — who appeared on MTV’s Awkard and BBC America’s Dirk Gently's Holistic Detective Agency — is one of the youngest women to direct a studio film in Hollywood history. — De Elizabeth, Teen Vogue, "Hannah Marks to Direct Film Adaptation of John Green's "Turtles All the Way Down"," 13 Jan. 2019 And scientists have already noted the penguin population losses in the regions of Antarctica most impacted by climate change. — Brian Resnick, Vox, "You can join the scientific quest to track penguin poop from space. It could help protect the species.," 12 Dec. 2018 Wilber notes that installing quartz or granite countertops could double the cost of your project. — Jessica Dailey, Good Housekeeping, "Financing," 11 Feb. 2019 Swennen notes that the wax of a crayon or a banana peel can help unjam a zipper, too. — Ana Colón, Glamour, "8 Red Carpet Fashion Hacks Celebrity Stylists Swear By," 18 Jan. 2019

Recent Examples on the Web: Noun

On that note, a slight tilt forward of the upper body is OK, and in fact, your body may naturally want to do this, says Mansour. — Jenny Mccoy, SELF, "Why the Goblet Squat Is Good for Beginners," 27 Mar. 2019 Last but not least, grab (or make) a nice gift, or order a bouquet of flowers to pair with your love note! — Amanda Garrity, Good Housekeeping, "Here's What to Write in a Mother's Day Card to Best Describe Your Love for Mom," 26 Mar. 2019 The duo got up from their seats together, approached the stage hand-in-hand, sang their hearts out, and even got close on the piano bench together while delivering their last notes. — Erica Gonzales, Harper's BAZAAR, "Irina Shayk Reacted to Bradley Cooper and Lady Gaga's "Shallow" Performance in the Best Way," 25 Feb. 2019 In its note, Google made sure to recognize there hasn't been a breach of the broader Nest user-base, which stretches into the tens of millions, per the company's own numbers. — Sam Blum, Popular Mechanics, "Google Warns Nest Users to Update Security Settings After Uptick of Hacked Cameras," 6 Feb. 2019 Printed money didn’t come into widespread use until the 17th century, when it was adopted by Europeans, who could exchange their notes for actual gold. — Town & Country, "Is This the End of Cash?," 28 Jan. 2019 Take note from Adwoa Aboah: The British model and activist spent last summer in Positano off of Italy’s Amalfi Coast and wore a pair of leopard-print bicycle shorts and an adorable straw hat with statement platforms. — Vogue, "Spring Break Forever! Shop the Best Vacation Style From Around the Globe," 21 Mar. 2019 As People notes, the ceremony was conducted by the Archbishop of Canterbury, the Most Reverend Justin Welby. — Tyler Mccarthy, Fox News, "Prince William, Kate, Prince Harry and Meghan gather for Prince Louis' christening," 2 Oct. 2018 In her latest collection, the profusion of ruffles, polka dots, and dramatically frilled fabrics take notes from classic Spanish aesthetics, like those seen in the paintings displayed at the Prado museum in Madrid. — Kristen Bateman, Vogue, "Step Into the Colorful World of Marta Rios, the Spaniard Hand-Quilting Dresses and Bags," 7 Mar. 2019

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'note.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

History and Etymology for note

Verb

Middle English, from Anglo-French noter, from Latin notare to mark, note, from nota

Noun

Middle English, from Anglo-French, from Latin nota mark, character, written note

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Dictionary Entries near note

Statistics for note

Last Updated

25 Mar 2019

Look-up Popularity

Time Traveler for note

The first known use of note was in the 13th century

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More Definitions for note

note

noun

Financial Definition of note

What It Is

In the finance world, a note is debt.

How It Works

Notes are typically medium-term debt, but not always. For example, Treasury notes (T-notes) are intermediate-term bonds issued by the U.S. Treasury. They mature in two, three, five or 10 years.

You might hear people use the phrase "carry the note," which means to take on debt from another issuer. For example, let's say you plan to purchase a business for $2 million. You have only $200,000 in cash for the seller and want to pay the seller over time for the rest. Essentially, you're borrowing $1.8 million from the seller, and the seller is "carrying a note" until you pay back that $1.8 million.

Why It Matters

There are many kinds of notes: municipal notes, Treasury notes, bank notes, promissory notes, etc. Like all debt, the terms vary, including the interest rates, face values, maturities and other provisions.

Source: Investing Answers

tax anticipation note

noun

Financial Definition of tax anticipation note

What It Is

A tax anticipation note (TAN) is a short-term note that a state or local government issues and expects to repay with imminent tax receipts.

How It Works

Town XYZ wants to purchase a new building to replace the old City Hall. The building costs $10 million. Town XYZ expects to pay $5 million cash for the building but needs to raise another $5 million. It expects to receive at least that much next April after the annual income tax filing deadline has passed, but the real estate deal is scheduled to close six months before that date, in October.

Because of the timing, Town XYZ issues $5 million of tax anticipation notes that mature in May. (Note that tax anticipation notes are typically issued at a discount, meaning that the investors will pay, say, 95% of the face value of each bond; the actual discount depends on the market and the issuer’s creditworthiness.) The notes pay buyers 5% interest per year. Remember, however, that the notes will be outstanding for less than one year.

Town XYZ is then able to purchase the building for $10 million in October. When April arrives, Town XYZ has its income tax receipts and uses a portion of them to repay the TANs (which generally get first dibs on tax receipts). TAN maturities are usually not longer than one calendar year.

Why It Matters

Tax anticipation notes provide state and local governments with a way to stabilize cash inflows and outflows during the year. In turn, this allows governments to proceed with capital projects immediately rather than waiting to have the actual cash in hand.

Tax anticipation notes are a type of municipal bonds -- investors are generally able to obtain interest tax-free.

Source: Investing Answers

note

verb

English Language Learners Definition of note

(Entry 1 of 2)

formal

: to notice or pay attention to (something)

: to say or write (something)

note

noun

English Language Learners Definition of note (Entry 2 of 2)

: a short piece of writing that is used to help someone remember something

: an informal written record of things that are said and done

: a short piece of writing that gives you information : a brief comment or explanation

See the full definition for note in the English Language Learners Dictionary

note

verb

\ ˈnōt

noted; noting

Kids Definition of note

(Entry 1 of 2)

1 : to notice or observe with care Note the differences between the two paintings.

2 : to record in writing Let me note down your address.

3 : to make special mention of His speech noted everyone's achievements.

note

noun

Kids Definition of note (Entry 2 of 2)

1 : a musical sound : tone

2 : a symbol in music that by its shape and position on the staff shows the pitch of a tone and the length of time it is to be held

3 : the musical call or song of a bird

4 : a quality that shows a feeling There's a note of sadness in your voice.

5 : something written down often to aid the memory I'll make a note of the appointment.

6 : a printed comment in a book that helps explain part of the text

7 : distinction sense 3 artists of note

8 : a short written message or letter a thank-you note

9 : careful notice Please take note of the time.

10 : frame of mind : mood She began the day on a happy note.

11 : a piano key

12 : a written promise to pay a debt

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note

noun

Legal Definition of note

(Entry 1 of 2)

1a : a written promise to pay a debt specifically : promissory note in this entry

— bank note

: a promissory note issued by a bank payable to bearer on demand but without interest and circulating as money

— cognovit note \ käg-ˈnō-vit-, kōg- \

: a note in which the maker acknowledges the debt and authorizes the entry of judgment against him or her without notice or a hearing : a note containing a confession of judgment

— collateral note

: a note secured especially by a collateral mortgage and pledged to secure an obligation of which a hand note usually serves as evidence

— demand note

: a note payable on demand — compare time note in this entry

— floating rate note

: a negotiable note that yields an indexed and periodically adjusted variable rate of interest

— called also floater

— hand note

: a note for an obligation secured by a collateral note

— non-recourse note

: a note whose satisfaction upon default may be obtained only out of the collateral securing it

— promissory note

: a note containing an unconditional promise to pay on demand or at a fixed or determined future time a particular sum of money to or to the order of a specified person or to the bearer

— recourse note

: a note whose satisfaction upon default may be obtained from the debtor's assets other than and in addition to the collateral securing it

— renewal note

: a note that continues an obligation due under a previous note

— tax anticipation note

: a note issued by a state or municipality on pending tax revenue to fund immediate governmental expenditures

— time note

: a note payable at a specified time in the future — compare demand note in this entry

— Treasury note

: a negotiable note issued by the U.S. government with a maturity date of one to ten years from the date of issue

— called also T-note

— compare Treasury bill at bill sense 7, Treasury bond at bond sense 2