note
- 01 A1 Beginner
n.a short piece of writing that helps you remember something.
n.a brief written record or memorandum intended to assist the memory or provide information.
Simple“She wrote a quick note in her diary so she wouldn't forget the appointment.”
In context“The researcher kept a detailed note of every variable changed during the experiment to ensure the results could be replicated accurately.”
- 02 A2 Elementary
n.a short, informal letter or message sent to someone.
n.a brief informal letter or written message addressed to a specific recipient.
Simple“I left a note on the fridge saying I would be home late.”
In context“He sent a polite thank-you note to the hosts the morning after the dinner party, expressing his appreciation for their hospitality.”
- 03 A2 Elementary
n.a single sound in music, or the symbol that represents it.
n.a specific musical tone of a particular pitch and duration, or the graphic symbol representing it in notation.
Simple“The singer struggled to hit the high note at the end of the song.”
In context“The pianist played the opening notes with such delicacy that the entire audience fell into a hushed silence.”
- 04 A2 Elementary
n.a piece of paper money.
n.a piece of paper money issued by a central bank; a banknote.
Simple“He pulled a ten-pound note out of his wallet to pay for the coffee.”
In context“The shopkeeper refused to accept the damaged fifty-euro note, citing concerns about its validity at the local bank.”
- 05 B2 Upper Intermediate
n.a particular feeling or quality in someone's voice or in a situation.
n.a particular quality, emotion, or tone expressed in an utterance or situation.
Simple“There was a note of sadness in her voice when she spoke about her old home.”
In context“The meeting ended on a positive note, with both parties agreeing to continue negotiations in the following month.”
- 06 C1 Advanced
n.the quality of being important or well-known.
n.the state of being important, distinguished, or worthy of notice.
Simple“Many people of note attended the opening of the new gallery.”
In context“The architect was a man of some note in the city, having designed several of its most iconic modern landmarks.”
SynonymsAntonymsinsignificance - 07 B1 Intermediate
v.to notice something or pay careful attention to it.
v.to observe or notice something with particular care or attention.
Simple“Please note that the office will be closed this coming Monday.”
In context“The inspector noted several minor safety violations that required immediate attention before the factory could be recertified.”
- 08 B1 Intermediate
v.to write something down so that you can remember it later.
v.to record something in writing for future reference or documentation.
Simple“The secretary noted down the main points of the discussion.”
In context“The journalist carefully noted the witness's exact words, ensuring the quote would be accurate in the final article.”
note vs notice — Notice is the act of perceiving something through the senses; note is the act of recording information or making a deliberate observation.
Usage note the maximum · note importance · note similarity
From Middle English note, from Old English not, nōt (“note, mark, sign”) and Old French note (“letter, note”), both from Latin nota (“mark, sign, remark, note”).
From Middle English note (“use, usefulness, profit”), from Old English notu (“use, enjoyment, advantage, profit, utility”), from Proto-West Germanic notu, from Proto-Germanic nutō (“enjoyment, utilisation”), from Proto-Indo-European *newd- (“to acquire, make use of”). Cognate with West Frisian not (“yield, produce, crop”), Dutch genot (“enjoyment, pleasure”), Dutch nut (“usefulness, utility, behoof”), German Nutzen (“benefit, usefulness, utility”), Icelandic not (“use”, noun). Related also to Old English notian (“to enjoy, make use of, employ”), Old English nēotan (“to use, enjoy”), Old High German niozan (“to use, enjoy”) (Modern German genießen (“to enjoy”)), Modern German benutzen (“to use”). Related to nait.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.