

Examples of Denotation
Denotation is the act of using a symbol or a special word to signify an explicit meaning or set of meanings. The particular meaning of a symbol or a word is its denotation.
Denotation Symbol Examples
- ! – exclamation point
- . – period
- “ ” – quotation
- @ – at
- # – number
- ( ) – parenthesis
- & – ampersand
- % – percent
- $ – dollar sign
- ‘ – apostrophe
- : – colon
- ; – semicolon
- ? – question mark
Examples of Denotation Symbols in Math
- + is plus
- – is minus
- / is divide
- x is multiply
- = is equals
- < is less than
- > is more than
- { } is a set
Denotation on Totem Poles
Here are examples of denotation on totem poles used by various Native American peoples:
- Bear – Teaches people to fish and pick berries
- Eagle – Rules the sky and can transform into a human
- Frog – Brings wealth
- Killer Whale – Honored as being strong and brave
- Otter – Denotes laughter and empathy
- Owl – Denotes souls of the dead
- Salmon – Denotes determination and instinct
- Raven – A trickster, curious and mischievous
- Sea Turtle – Mother Earth
- Thunderbird – Mythological bird that creates thunder and lightning
- Wolf – Helps those in need or who are sick
Examples of Denotation in the Zodiac
- Aries (ram) = March 21 – April 19
- Taurus (bull) = April 20 – May 20
- Gemini (twins) = May 21 – June 20
- Cancer (crab) = June 21 – July 22
- Leo (lion) = July 23 – August 22
- Virgo (virgin) = August 23 – September 22
- Libra (scale) = September 23 – October 22
- Scorpio (scorpion) = October 23 – November 21
- Sagittarius (archer) = November 22 – December 21
- Capricorn (sea-goat) = December 22 – January 19
- Aquarius (water bearer) = January 20 – February 18
- Pisces (fish) = February 19 – March 20
Examples of Denotation in Heraldry
- Acorn – Independence and strength
- Anvil – Honor
- Arm – Hard working people
- Buckle – Protection and self-defense
- Cat – Courage and liberty
- Crow – Permanent settlement
- Dragon – Guardian of treasures, bravery
- Fleur-de-lis – Flower of light, perfection, life and light
- Griffin – Mythical animal denotes strength and courage
- Red Hand – Knight or baronet
- Horse – Readiness for king and country, speed and intelligence
- Lion – Undying courage
- Owl – Vigilance
- Rose – Hope and joy
- Snake – Wisdom and defiance
- Swan – Beauty and grace
- Tree – Strength, noblest of oak trees (Ireland)
- Wings – Swiftness and protection
- Wolf – Guardianship and valor
Symbols That Denote Good Luck
- Alligator teeth
- Amber
- Cat’s eye stone
- Crickets
- Dolphins
- Dream catchers
- Elephants
- Falling star
- Feathers
- Four leaf clover
- Goldfish
- Horseshoe
- Kachinas Ladybugs
- Pigs
- Rabbit’s foot
- Rainbows
- Sapphire
- Scarabs
- Tigers
- Wishbone
Examples of Symbols That Denote Friendship
- Friendship bracelet
- Jade plant
- Lapis Lazuli
- Rhodonite Ball
- The Claddagh (Irish)
- Two crossed arrows (Native American)
- Yellow rose
Symbols That Denote Purity
- Lotus flower
- Pearls
- Unicorns
- The color white
- White dove
- White lily
- Black cross inside a green circle (Celtic)
These examples of denotation show the wide variety of symbols and words used today.