denote

verb

de·​note di-ˈnōt 

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

di-ˈnōt-mənt 

dē-

noun

Synonyms

• express
• import
• intend
• mean
• signify
• spell

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

The historic building, which also houses a 400-seat opera house, has thick tape running throughout its interior, denoting where the U.S. border ends and the Canadian one begins. —Cara Tabachnick, CBS News, 23 Mar. 2025

Undecided customers who want a black dress are more likely to gravitate toward an unknown luxury brand that offers the sixth- or seventh-highest-priced dresses—cheaper than their competitors but still at a price that denotes the quality of the product. —Matteo Atti, Forbes, 20 Mar. 2025

Each of the four categories has a separate color denoting its level of difficulty. —Dan Perry, Newsweek, 19 Mar. 2025

Over multiple cups of tea, Sakhi, who brews his own rather than buying sugary infusions from tea sellers, and Shah engage in conversations that denote their distinct socioeconomic circumstances despite being from the same town and around the same age. —Carlos Aguilar, IndieWire, 8 Mar. 2025

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

Rhymes for denote

• afloat
• azote
• banknote
• bareboat
• benzoate
• connote
• cutthroat
• demote
• devote
• endnote
• footnote
• greatcoat

Kids Definition

denote

verb

de·​note di-ˈnōt 

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