denote

verb

de·​note di-ˈnōt How to pronounce denote (audio)
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 noun

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
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.
The phrase is commonly used to denote a person with high-up connections that can make a difficult situation easy. Chris Sommerfeldt, New York Daily News, 13 Feb. 2025 Further, some brands denote the percentage of down versus feathers in their insulation. Maggie Slepian, Travel + Leisure, 12 Feb. 2025 Justin Sullivan / Getty Images Containment denotes how much of a perimeter has been established around a fire to halt its growth. Dennis Romero, NBC News, 1 Feb. 2025 The Sheriff’s deputy tells us that this innocent-looking decoration denotes total destruction of the structure; every house on this part of the street appears to be marked with one. Katie Kilkenny, The Hollywood Reporter, 22 Jan. 2025 See all Example Sentences for denote 

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

Time Traveler
The first known use of denote was in 1562

Dictionary Entries Near denote

Cite this Entry

“Denote.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/denote. Accessed 21 Feb. 2025.

Kids Definition

denote

verb
de·​note di-ˈnōt How to pronounce denote (audio)
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

More from Merriam-Webster on denote

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