connotation

[ kon-uh-tey-shuhn ]
/ ˌkɒn əˈteɪ ʃən /

noun

  1. the associated or secondary meaning of a word or expression in addition to its explicit or primary meaning: A possible connotation of “home” is “a place of warmth, comfort, and affection.”
  2. the act of connoting; the suggesting of an additional meaning for a word or expression, apart from its explicit meaning.
something suggested or implied by a word or thing, rather than being explicitly named or described: “Religion” has always had a negative connotation for me.
Logic. the set of attributes constituting the meaning of a term and thus determining the range of objects to which that term may be applied; comprehension; intension.
Compare denotation.

Origin of connotation

1375–1425 for earlier sense; 1525–35 for current senses; late Middle English connotacion < Medieval Latin connotātiōn- (stem of connotātiō), equivalent to connotāt(us) (past participle of connotāre to connote; see -ate1) + -iōn- -ion

OTHER WORDS FROM connotation

Words nearby connotation

Example sentences from the Web for connotations

British Dictionary definitions for connotations

connotation
/ (ˌkɒnəˈteɪʃən) /

noun

an association or idea suggested by a word or phrase; implication
the act or fact of connoting
logic another name for intension (def. 1)

Derived forms of connotation

connotative (ˈkɒnəˌteɪtɪv, kəˈnəʊtə-) or connotive, adjective connotatively or connotively, adverb

Cultural definitions for connotations

connotation

The meaning that a word suggests or implies. A connotation includes the emotions or associations that surround a word. For example, the word modern strictly means “belonging to recent times,” but the word's connotations can include such notions as “new, up to date, experimental.”