denotation.

The direct reference or literal meaning of a word or expression, distinguished from associated suggestions.

Use it for

Words that belong together

• literal denotation
• denotation of a term

On the page

The critic distinguished the word’s denotation from the emotional associations it carried.

A term can retain its denotation while acquiring different connotations in a new context.

Usage notes

Primary category: academic / formal. Forms: Usually uncountable; plural denotations for distinct instances or kinds where appropriate. Legacy lexical fields mirror sense 1 only. Use numbered sense fields for all meanings. Established modern English lexical item. No separate regional spelling or grammatical inflection entry. Writing functions: analysis, comparison, evaluation. Disciplines: argumentation, textual analysis. Commonness: moderately common.