connotation

Etymology

Borrowed from Medieval Latin connotātiō, from connotō (“I mark in addition”), from Latin con- (“together, with”) + noto (“I note”); equivalent to connote + -ation.

noun

1. (semantics) A meaning of a word or phrase that is suggested or implied, as opposed to a denotation, or literal meaning. A characteristic of words or phrases, or of the contexts that words and phrases are used in.
   The word "advisedly" has a connotation of "wisely", although it denotes merely "intentionally" and "deliberately."
   The word "happy" has a positive connotation, while "sad" has a negative connotation.
2. (logic) The attribute or aggregate of attributes connoted by a term, contrasted with denotation.
   The two expressions "the morning star" and "the evening star" have different connotations but the same denotation (i.e. the planet Venus).