connotation
n.the feeling or idea that a word gives you, even if it is not the exact meaning. For example, the word 'home' often makes you feel warm and safe, while 'house' is just a building.
n.the secondary, often emotional or cultural meaning associated with a word or phrase. It differs from the literal or dictionary definition.
“The word 'cheap' has a negative connotation for many people.”
“While both 'small' and 'tiny' describe size, the latter carries a more affectionate or humorous connotation.”
“The author carefully chose words with positive connotations to ensure the protagonist remained sympathetic to the reader throughout the narrative.”
Usage negative connotation
“We need to free dancefloors, concerts and festivals of their hedonistic connotations.”
“This is why Lily’s father finds nurses more tolerable than care workers: he doesn’t want to need care, but medicine – with its connotations of formalisation and expertise – is more acceptable.”
Borrowed from Medieval Latin connotātiō, from connotō (“I mark in addition”), from Latin con- (“together, with”) + noto (“I note”); equivalent to connote + -ation.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.