denoting

American

[dih-noh-ting] / dɪˈnoʊ tɪŋ /

adjective

being a name or designation for something; meaning or referring to something.

Bertrand Russell initially assumed that every denoting phrase—such as "Scott," "the number two," or "the golden mountain"—had to refer to an actually existing entity.
being a symbol that represents or stands for something.

When any design in metal or pottery is registered as copyright, the denoting mark is impressed upon each article as it is made.
being an indicator or sign of something; identifying.

The denoting signs of a company in financial distress usually include salary cuts, layoffs, and the resignation of top executives.

noun

the act or fact of naming, representing, indicating, or referring to something by means of a symbol, word, phrase, label, etc..

One thing that helps to standardize the spelling of placenames is the denoting of them by government-erected road signs.

Etymology

Origin of denoting

First recorded in 1885–90; denot(e) ( def. ) + -ing ² ( def. ) for the adjective senses; denot(e) ( def. ) + -ing ¹ ( def. ) for the noun sense

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

In early scenes, he has a small curved line denoting a chubby chin, which changes over time to straight lines on each cheek, narrowing his face when he is old and infirm.

From MarketWatch • Mar. 16, 2026

The death certificate for Katherine Elizabeth Hartley, which was obtained by TMZ, includes a field denoting how the injury occurred.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 3, 2026

The analysis considered references by executives to tariffs, plus several related terms, in the same sentence as terms denoting risk.

From The Wall Street Journal • Nov. 23, 2025

This is now a world, the orders seem to suggest, in which the names on a map, such as those denoting Denali or the Gulf of Mexico, are fragile and subject to revision without notice.

From Slate • Jan. 27, 2025

She said nothing, her eyes red-rimmed, denoting deep alarm, as she climbed into the ambulance with his sweater grasped tightly in her fist.

From "The Color of Water: A Black Man's Tribute to His White Mother" by James McBride

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023