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
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This denotes a very strong Debt-to-Equity Ratio of 0.1%(compared to 19.9% for the S&P 500). Trefis Team, Forbes.com, 3 June 2025 The menu denotes which spirits are made in Colorado or come from businesses owned by women, people of color or members of the LGBTQIA+ community. Beth Rankin, Denver Post, 27 May 2025 Barn Doors — Important for gaffers, this denotes the four metal slides on the front of light kits used to direct or position light. Harrison Richlin, IndieWire, 17 May 2025 The cancer is described as having a Gleason score of 9, denoting its aggressiveness, and has spread to the bone. Kathryn Palmer, USA Today, 19 May 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

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Denote.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/denote. Accessed 6 Jun. 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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