connote

/kəˈnəʊt/

//kəˈnəʊt// verb

"connote" is a 7-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“connote” is uncommon English (frequency #97,964 among 43,570 “C” headwords), classed as a verb. The kind of spelling people second-guess.

#97,964
frequency rank, English
43,570
“C” headwords

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - To signify beyond its literal or principal meaning.

Key facts for connote
PropertyValue
Headwordconnote
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechVerb
IPA/kəˈnəʊt/
Letters7
Frequency rank#97,964
Misspellings tracked0
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “connote” sits in English frequency

Every-word frequency runs from the handful of words we use constantly (left) to the long tail used once in a blue moon (right). connote lands here:

#1#100#1K#10K#100K
← used constantlyrarely used →

Scale is logarithmic (each tick is 10× rarer). Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Rare enough to double-check

connote is uncommon English at frequency #97,964 among 43,570 “C” headwords, classed as averb, transcribed /kəˈnəʊt/. Rarity is why readers land here mid-draft. 4 senses are on record.

Our edit-distance generator produced no likely misspellings for connote, typically a sign the spelling maps closely to how the word sounds. No confusable counterpart is on file for this word, which typically means the spelling is too distinctive to be mistaken for another word.

Etymologically, the entry records: From Medieval Latin connotō (“signify beyond literal meaning”), from com- (“together”), + notō (“mark”). The correct English form is connote, spelled C-O-N-N-O-T-E.

Definition

  1. 1
    To signify beyond its literal or principal meaning.
  2. 2
    To possess an inseparable related condition; to imply as a logical consequence.
  3. 3
    To express without overt reference; to imply.
  4. 4
    To require as a logical predicate to consequence.

Etymology

From Medieval Latin connotō (“signify beyond literal meaning”), from com- (“together”), + notō (“mark”).

Synonyms

This word in other languages

Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA); frequency ordering uses the FrequencyWords open word-frequency list (2018 English corpus, MIT). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "connote"?
"connote" is spelled C-O-N-N-O-T-E. The IPA pronunciation is /kəˈnəʊt/.
What does "connote" mean?
As a verb, "connote" means: To signify beyond its literal or principal meaning.
How do you pronounce "connote"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "connote" is /kəˈnəʊt/. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What is the origin of the word "connote"?
From Medieval Latin connotō (“signify beyond literal meaning”), from com- (“together”), + notō (“mark”). See the full etymology section above for more details.
Is PlainSpell free to use?
Yes, PlainSpell is a completely free word reference. You can look up definitions, pronunciations, confusable pairs, homophones, and spelling corrections across 5 languages without any sign-up or subscription.

Using “connote”

The practical upshot for anyone who landed here from a spell-check.

  • The one correct English spelling is C-O-N-N-O-T-E - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /kəˈnəʊt/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
  • Browse more English words and confusable pairs in the same reference. English words

Other uncommon English words near this rank

Data Source

Wiktionary (via kaikki.org), licensed under CC BY-SA & GFDL. Word ordering uses an open word-frequency list; misspelling variants are generated by edit-distance from the correct headword.

Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) Structured Wiktionary extract

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list FrequencyWords open word-frequency list