notes

Notes are a plural noun with several related meanings. In music, a note is a symbol that represents a pitch and a duration, and it is positioned on a staff to indicate melody and rhythm. Common note lengths include whole, half, quarter, and eighth notes, and a sequence of notes forms a melody.

In writing and human communication, a note is a brief record kept for later reference, such as a meeting note, a diary entry, or study notes. Notes can be informal or formal, and organizing notes through outlines, bullet points, or summaries supports recall and planning.

In scholarly writing, notes can also refer to footnotes or endnotes, which provide citations, comments, or clarifications without interrupting the main text. Footnotes appear at the bottom of pages; endnotes appear at the end of a document.

In digital environments, notes are often created with software and cloud synchronization, enabling text, links, images, and attachments to be stored and searched. Common applications include note-taking apps and document editors with annotation features.

The term derives from Latin nota, “a mark, sign.” Across uses, notes function as compact, portable records that aid memory, analysis, or performance.