non-denotatively
|non-de-not-a-tive-ly|
🇺🇸
/ˌnɑn.dɪˈnoʊ.tə.tɪv.li/
🇬🇧
/ˌnɒn.dɪˈnəʊ.tə.tɪv.li/
not in a literal/denoting way
Etymology
'non-denotatively' originates from English, specifically the prefix 'non-' (from Latin 'non') meaning 'not' combined with 'denotative' (from Late Latin 'denotativus'), where the root 'denotare' meant 'to mark out, indicate'.
'non-denotatively' formed by attaching the negative prefix 'non-' to the adjective 'denotative' (from Latin 'denotativus' < 'denotare'), and then adding the adverbial suffix '-ly' to create the modern English adverb.
Initially the components referred to 'not' + 'indicating or marking'; over time the combined form came to mean 'in a way that does not indicate literal reference', the current specialized usage.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Adverb 1
in a manner that is not denotative; not referring to or indicating literal/explicit reference or denotation.
The artist spoke non-denotatively about the painting, focusing on mood rather than concrete references.
Synonyms
Antonyms
Adverb 2
in a linguistic or analytical sense, in a way that does not convey denotation (direct reference) but conveys other aspects such as feeling, implication, or association.
When used non-denotatively, a word can trigger associations rather than point to a specific object.
Synonyms
Antonyms
Last updated: 2025/12/29 12:19