Definition of CONNOTATIONS (original) (raw)
1
a
: something suggested by a word or thing : implication
the connotations of comfort that surrounded that old chair
b
: the suggesting of a meaning by a word apart from the thing it explicitly names or describes
2
: the signification of something
… that abuse of logic which consists in moving counters about as if they were known entities with a fixed connotation.—William Ralph Inge
3
: an essential property or group of properties of a thing named by a term in logic compare denotation
Did you know?
Connotation and denotation are easily confused, and the fact that neither word is particularly common in everyday use makes it difficult for many people to get a firm grip on the difference between them. While each of these two words has several possible meanings, they are notably distinct from each other in all senses. Denotation is concerned with explicit meaning, and connotation tends to be concerned with implicit meaning. The word home, for instance, has a denotation of “the place (such as a house or apartment) where a person lives,” but it may additionally have many connotations (such as “warmth,” “security,” or “childhood”) for some people.
Examples of connotation in a Sentence
Miuccia Prada, a connoisseur of vintage jewelry, has a collection of tiaras and subverts their formal connotations by wearing them for the day. —Hamish Bowles, Vogue, March 1997 Suddenly, Hsun-ching brightened. "So this is propaganda?" Alison did not know that, in Chinese, the word for propaganda literally means to spread information, and does not carry any negative connotations. —
Mark Salzman, The Laughing Sutra, 1991 The word "evolution," with its connotation of unrolling, of progressive development, was not favored by Darwin; he preferred the bleak phrase "descent with modification" for his theory. —
John Updike, New Yorker, 30 Dec. 1985
a word with negative connotations For many people, the word “fat” has negative connotations. The word “childlike” has connotations of innocence.
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.
A lot of times, being a mama’s boy has a negative connotation. —Krystie Lee Yandoli, Rolling Stone, 27 Jan. 2025 And just the negative connotations that came behind it. —
J.m. Banks, Kansas City Star, 27 Jan. 2025 In the context of US cultural history, however, watermelon carries different _connotations_—racist ones. —
Longreads, 19 Dec. 2024 The term fun parent comes with plenty of connotations (good and bad) and preconceived notions. —
Jana Pollack, Parents, 17 Jan. 2025 See all Example Sentences for connotation
Word History
First Known Use
1532, in the meaning defined at sense 1b
Time Traveler
The first known use of connotation was in 1532
Dictionary Entries Near connotation
Cite this Entry
“Connotation.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/connotation. Accessed 12 Feb. 2025.
Share
More from Merriam-Webster on connotation
Last Updated: 4 Feb 2025 - Updated example sentences
Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!