Labeldenoting

Labeldenoting is a term used in some discussions of linguistics, information science, and ontology design to describe expressions whose primary function is to denote a label used for naming a category, class, or tag within a system. The concept focuses on the idea that the expression names a label itself, rather than directly referring to a particular object or individual. The term is not widely standardized and appears mainly in specialized or theoretical contexts.

In practice, a labeldenoting expression operates at the level of categorization. For example, in a machine learning dataset, the word "cat" serves as a labeldenoting term because it names the category used to label all instances identified as cats, rather than pointing to any single cat. Similarly, in an ontology or taxonomy, a class name such as "Invoice" denotes the label assigned to that class, not a concrete invoice instance.

Labeldenoting expressions are often contrasted with referential expressions, which are understood to denote real-world entities or individuals. The distinction helps clarify how language operates at different levels of abstraction: one level names classes, categories, or tags, while another points to particular objects.

Because labeldenoting is not a widely standardized term, its use typically requires definition within a text to avoid ambiguity. Related concepts include denotation, designation, labeling, and sign theory in semantics and information science.