denotative

[ dee-noh-tey-tiv, dih-noh-tuh-tiv ]

adjective

1. having power to denote.
2. denoting or tending to denote:

   the denotative meaning of a word.

Other Words From

• deno·tative·ly adverb
• deno·tative·ness noun
• non·deno·tative adjective
• non·deno·tative·ly adverb
• un·deno·tative adjective
• un·deno·tative·ly adverb

Word History and Origins

Origin of denotative¹

1605–15; < Latin dēnotātus (past participle of dēnotāre to mark out, denote ( def ) ) + -ive

Example Sentences

When I arrived, my partner took me on a drive along the Peak to Peak highway — a satisfyingly denotative name for a particularly scenic stretch of the Front Range.

From New York Times

The guy’s probably right, of course, but “denotative meaning” – really? 

From Forbes

The denotative meanings of these abbreviations vary over a wide range.

From The Guardian

This method of delimiting a meaning by calling out a certain attitude toward objects may be called denotative or indicative.

From Project Gutenberg

It finds that "reality" is a denotative term, a word used to designate indifferently everything that happens.

From Project Gutenberg