note

1 of 2

verb

noted; noting

transitive verb

1
a
: 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.
2
a
: 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.
noter noun

note

2 of 2

noun

1
a(1)
obsolete : melody, song
(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
2
a
: 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
3
a(1)
(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
4
a
: distinction, reputation
a figure of international note
b
: observation, notice
took full note of the proceedings

Illustration of note

Illustration of note
  • note 1b
Choose the Right Synonym for note

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
The data company noted that federal and state efforts, including catalytic converter crime ring busts and tighter legal restrictions, could be working as well. USA TODAY, 20 Mar. 2024 Errors are corrected during the press run whenever possible, so some errors noted here may not have appeared in all editions. New York Times, 20 Mar. 2024 Among the oddities noted by British media were an apparent misalignment of the queen’s tartan skirt and signs that Prince Louis may have been moved farther back. Karla Adam, Washington Post, 20 Mar. 2024 After a 5-year fight, this little girl is about to get it Even with a top tier price, the MLD treatment will not be a blockbuster, Rind noted, because the disease is so rare. Brenda Goodman, CNN, 20 Mar. 2024 The tabloid noted that the motion picture has been delayed due to the 2023 Hollywood strikes. Abby Montanez, Robb Report, 19 Mar. 2024 And Liu-Doyle was the only one of our execs who made the list to note—along with her many successful investments—one not-so-successful deal. Luisa Beltran, Fortune, 19 Mar. 2024 Sinclair notes to Scientific American that a limitation of the study is its small sample size, a common issue for space travel research. Will Sullivan, Smithsonian Magazine, 19 Mar. 2024 Cooper's decision, however, noted that the Legislature modified Proposition 203 to allow parents of English learners to seek waivers from structured English immersion instruction. Daniel Gonzalez, The Arizona Republic, 8 Mar. 2024
Noun
Buy Now on Art de Parfum: $160 Photo : Atelier New York Perfumer H Rhubarb Eau de Parfum Rhubarb, as a note in perfumery, is one of William’s favorite unsung heroes, especially in springtime. Adam Hurly, Robb Report, 21 Mar. 2024 Bank of America analysts, led by Jared Woodard, the head of the Research Investment Committee, argued in a Thursday note that gold has more room to run, and could even hit their technical strategist’s lofty price target. Will Daniel, Fortune, 21 Mar. 2024 Eurozone policymakers have sounded a cautious note on pulling down interest rates before inflation is proven to be under control, which might also put the brakes on growth. Ryan Hogg, Fortune Europe, 21 Mar. 2024 The Harris County Sheriff’s Office, who is investigating the case, said the boys came into the bank and allegedly showed a threatening note to a teller, ABC 13 reported. Samira Asma-Sadeque, Peoplemag, 20 Mar. 2024 Doing his bit to strike a morale boosting note, Yermak said those who doubted Ukraine could still win the war should come and visit his country. Andrew Carey, CNN, 20 Mar. 2024 Simply print out the template, color the design, fold the card in half, and write a heartfelt note inside. Nicole Harris, Parents, 20 Mar. 2024 Jazz Parks, interim superintendent of Ann Arbor Public Schools, wrote in a note to the community that the district is facing a shortfall in the current school year budget, a shortfall discovered in an audit earlier in the school year. Lily Altavena, Detroit Free Press, 20 Mar. 2024 Soon after the switch was announced Friday, Betts began his conversation with reporters on an optimistic note. Bill Plaschke, Los Angeles Times, 9 Mar. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'note.' 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

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

First Known Use

Verb

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Noun

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a(1)

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

Dictionary Entries Near note

Cite this Entry

“Note.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/note. Accessed 29 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

note

1 of 2 verb
noted; noting
1
a
: to notice or observe with care
b
: to record or preserve in writing
2
: to make special mention of : notice
noter noun

note

2 of 2 noun
1
a
: a musical sound : tone
b
: an animal's cry, call, or sound
a bird's note
c
: 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
2
: a quality that shows a feeling
a note of sadness in your voice
3
a
: something written down often to aid the memory
I'll make a note of the appointment
b
: a brief and informal record
c
: a written or printed comment that helps explain part of the book
notes in the back of the book
4
a
: a written promise to pay
b
: a piece of paper money
5
a
: a short informal letter
b
: a formal diplomatic or official communication
6
a
: reputation sense 1, distinction
a scientist of note
b
: careful notice
take note of the exact time

Legal Definition

note

1 of 2 noun
1
a
: 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
b
: a piece of paper money
2
: an exposition on a law-related topic especially found in a law review

note

2 of 2 transitive verb
noted; noting
1
: to recognize the existence or presence of
noted probable jurisdiction
2
: to make a notarial memorandum of nonpayment of (a negotiable instrument) on presentation

More from Merriam-Webster on note

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