Denotation: GCSE English Definition

What is denotation?

In GCSE English, denotation is a word’s literal meaning. For example, the denotation of the word ‘rose’ is a plant with thorns and pleasant-smelling flowers. The denotation of a word does not try to convey any other feelings or ideas that people might connect with it.

Of course, the word ‘rose’ is also often associated with ideas of love and romance. These are the word’s connotations. 

Denotation is used when a writer wants the reader to understand a word, phrase or sentence literally and clearly. This means the author has chosen the words for their precise meaning, not the feelings they create or the associations they may have. For example, the word ‘car’ does not have any significance beyond its literal meaning (a vehicle with an engine and four wheels).

Examples of denotation

Writers will sometimes use words primarily based on their denotational meanings to describe a character. For example, Jane Austen describes the character in her novel Emma as “handsome, clever, and rich” which all carry the standard dictionary definitions — or denotations — to clearly present Emma as attractive and prosperous.

Revision resources to ace your exams

For study guides on how to comment on denotation in literary and non-fiction texts, check out our detailed revision notes. All our notes are course-specific, so everything you’ll need to ace your exams is in one place!

GCSE English Literature Revision Notes

GCSE English Language Revision Notes 

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