Enotation

Enotation is a term encountered in some discussions of linguistics and semiotics to designate the internal content or sense that a sign encodes. In this usage, enotation refers to the ideas, properties, and relationships that a sign is designed to evoke in a listener or reader, as distinct from what the sign explicitly denotes in the world (its denotation) and from evaluative or emotional associations it may carry (its connotation). Because the term is not standardized across theories, its exact scope varies by author.

For example, the enotation of the word dog includes its category as a domesticated canine, typical attributes associated with dogs, and its place within a system of signs about animals and pets. Its denotation would be the actual dogs that exist, while its connotation might include ideas of loyalty or friendliness that accompany dog-talk in some cultures. In this sense, enotation can be considered the sign’s conceptual content or sense, as distinguished from reference and affective meaning.

Usage notes: Enotation is relatively rare and can overlap with terms like sense or intension; readers should check the source’s definition to understand how the author uses it. In many discussions, authors prefer to speak of sense, intension, or conceptual content rather than enotation. See also denotation, connotation, sense, and semiotics.