Definition

1. Adjective:
   • Relating to or involving connotation: Pertaining to the implied, suggested, or emotional meaning of a word, as opposed to its literal definition (denotation). It describes something that carries or deals with these secondary, associative meanings.

Examples of Usage

• Adjective:
  • The poet's choice of words was highly connotational, evoking feelings of nostalgia rather than simply describing a scene.
  • A good advertiser understands the connotational power of words like "home," "freedom," or "pure."
  • The critic analyzed the connotational differences between the words "slender" and "skinny."

Advanced Usage

• Connotational meaning: The associative or emotional meaning of a word.
  • The connotational meaning of "dove" often includes peace and innocence.
• Connotational value/weight: The degree of emotional or cultural association a word carries.
  • The word has a strong positive connotational value in this context.

Variants and Related Words

• Connotation (n): An idea or feeling that a word invokes in addition to its literal or primary meaning.
  • The word "cheap" can have a negative connotation.
• Connotative (adj): Having the quality of suggesting meanings or feelings beyond the literal sense. (Note: This is a close synonym, often used interchangeably with "connotational," though "connotative" is more common.)
  • "Childlike" is a more connotative term than "young."
• Denotational (adj): Relating to the explicit, literal, or dictionary definition of a word. (This is the direct antonym in linguistic terms.)

Synonyms

• Associative: Pertaining to connection in thought.
• Suggestive: Tending to suggest ideas or images.
• Implied: Suggested but not directly expressed.

Related Phrases

• Carry a connotation: To have an implied meaning.
  • That term carries a connotation of dishonesty.
• Rich in connotation: Having many layers of implied meaning.
  • The ancient symbol is rich in connotation.

Adjective

1. of or relating to a connotation