Denotation - Definition and Overview

The logical and linguistic term denotation is the common element in several significant pairings or distinctions, namely (in chronological order)

• connotation and denotation in basic semantics and literary theory;

• as synonymous with reference in sense and reference in philosophy;

• in denotational semantics and operational semantics in computer science.

Here denotational always attracts the extension meaning in the pair, but the other element genuinely varies. See intension for some more discussion.