To suggest or imply a meaning beyond the literal definition; to carry additional emotional or associative meanings.
From Medieval Latin 'connotatus,' derived from 'con-' (together) plus 'notare' (to mark or note), literally meaning 'to mark together with additional meaning' beyond the main definition.
While 'denote' means the actual definition (a rose is a flower), 'connotate' means all the extra stuff it suggests (love, beauty, romance)—it's why poets love metaphors and why the same word can feel totally different in different cultures!
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