Connotation

Part of speech: noun

Pronunciation: /ˌkɒnəˈteɪʃən/

Definitions

1. An idea or feeling that a word invokes in addition to its literal or primary meaning
2. A nuance or emotional implication related to a term that goes beyond its straightforward interpretation
3. A secondary meaning or emotional charge associated with a term that complements its primary definition

Etymology: The word "connotation" is built from a clear chain of Latin parts, and its core idea is simply "noting something alongside." Medieval Latin "connotatio" came from "connotare," meaning "to mark in addition," which combined "con-" ("together, with") and "notare" ("to note"). The English word is that Latin noun, with the English "connote" and the suffix "-ation" in the mix. What makes the story work is how literally the Latin describes the modern sense. A word's primary meaning is the mark it makes on the thing it names, and its connotation is the extra mark that sits beside it, added by the listener's associations. The term was borrowed from Medieval Latin, so its roots reach back to classical Latin, but the sense of a "secondary" meaning is a logical extension that the coiners built into the prefix "con-."

Synonyms: implication, nuance, overtone, suggestion, association

Antonyms: denotation, literal meaning, explicit meaning, direct meaning, clear meaning