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Definition of "connotation" [con•no•ta•tion]

  • The act or process of connoting. (noun)
  • An idea or meaning suggested by or associated with a word or thing: Hollywood holds connotations of romance and glittering success. (noun)
  • The set of associations implied by a word in addition to its literal meaning. (noun)
  • Logic The set of attributes constituting the meaning of a term; intension. (noun)

American Heritage(R) Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright (c) 2011 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

Use "connotation" in a sentence
  • "Though the words and phrases are vague and suggest different things to different people their connotation is always favorable: "The concepts and programs of the propagandist are always good, desirable, virtuous.""
  • "He's trying to reconcile a new word connotation associated with being upset with something that he already understands as having to do with polar bears and snow."
  • "Trago does not strictly mean an alcoholic drink, although that connotation is very strong."