denotatively

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English

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Etymology

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From denotative +‎ -ly.

Adverb

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denotatively (comparative more denotatively, superlative most denotatively)

  1. In a way that denotes.
    Antonym: connotatively
    • 1878, Shadworth Hollway Hodgson, The philosophy of reflection, volume 1, page 9:
      We use words either denotatively or connotatively; denotatively when a word is used as a mere mark or sign to point out which thing of all possible things we mean to speak of, and connotatively when it is used to point out a supposed characteristic of the thing denoted.
    • 1995, Designing Health Messages: Approaches from Communication Theory, →ISBN, page 18:
      "Risks," in other words, may appear ominous and act as a barrier to thought about the message. In sum, to invoke more conscious thought about a verbal message, message designers should select more denotatively specific language.