Which option best defines denotation?

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Multiple Choice

Which option best defines denotation?

Denotation is the literal meaning of a word—the definition you’d find in a dictionary, the basic thing the word refers to without any feelings or associations attached. This is why the answer that describes the literal meaning fits best: it captures the objective sense a word has. By contrast, emotional associations describe connotation, the subjective feelings a word can evoke. Cultural context goes beyond the literal sense, looking at how a word is used in different groups, and spelling concerns the word’s written form, not its meaning.

Denotation is the literal meaning of a word—the definition you’d find in a dictionary, the basic thing the word refers to without any feelings or associations attached. This is why the answer that describes the literal meaning fits best: it captures the objective sense a word has. By contrast, emotional associations describe connotation, the subjective feelings a word can evoke. Cultural context goes beyond the literal sense, looking at how a word is used in different groups, and spelling concerns the word’s written form, not its meaning.

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