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Denotative meaning, or denotation, is when what you say is meant literally. It does not attach any emotional, implied, or cultural associations to a word or phrase.
Denotative meaning refers to the literal meaning of a word, or its dictionary definition. For example, fungus in the dictionary means 'any of various types of organisms that get their food from decaying material or other living things' (including yeast, mold, and mushrooms). The opposite of denotative meaning is connotative meaning, which refers to the emotional and cultural associations of a word. For example, the word fungus often has connotations of ugliness and disease.
Denotative Meaning example, pixaby.com
Denotative meaning is important for understanding the definitions of words, which in turn helps people communicate clearly, and prevent misunderstandings. In a debate, one person may use the dictionary definition of a word, which another person may misinterpret because they have a different cultural understanding of the word, a particular connotation of the same word.
Denotative meaning contributes to our understanding of how meaning is constantly changing, shifting, and is influenced by cultural and historical movements.
As previously mentioned, denotative meaning is the literal, explicit, dictionary definition of a word. Here are some examples of denotative meaning:
Apples, green, and snake are words used with denotative meanings. There are no hidden meanings.
But all these words can also have a connotative meaning if they are placed in a different context:
In this case, the word apple is used by the speaker to describe someone they truly cherish, and are extremely fund of.
In this case, the word green is used metaphorically to describe a feeling of envy.
In this case, the word snake refers to somebody evil and untrustworthy.
Denotative meaning is relevant for academic writing, reference work (encyclopedia), and instructions; while connotative meaning is useful for creative writing .
For example, when an author wants to convey a clear message without associated or suggested meanings, denotation is used. However, when an author is trying to build certain emotions or be descriptive, they may use connotations.
This does not mean that denotation can not be used in creative writing. It depends on the writer's intention and the tone of the story. Take a look at this poem by Robert Frost and decide whether Frost denotes or connotes the word wall in his 'Mending Wall' (1941) poem.
Mending Wall
I let my neighbor know beyond the hill;
And on a day we meet to walk the line
And set the wall between us once again.
We keep the wall between us as we go.
To each the boulders that have fallen to each.
And some are loaves and some so nearly balls
[...]
He says again, 'Good fences make good neighbors.'
The poem focuses on the story of two neighbors who repair the fence between their villas. Yet, this moment just describes the relationship between the two people and the literal and metaphorical wall that separate them.
At the first scan of this poem, you may notice that Frost uses the connotative meaning of wall as an emotional and psychological barrier between two people. But after further inspection, the wall starts to denote a literal wall that separates the two main characters.
Here is a list of some important characteristics to know about denotative meaning.
1. Words and dictionary meaning Some words only have a function (prepositions, grammatical particles, etc.) rather than carrying meaning like morphemes, which can have two tiers of meaning or none (like "ing"). 
Dictionary Meaning, pixaby.com 2. Multiple words can have the same denotation Some words can have the same dictionary definition. 3. Denotation meaning is objective While connotative meaning can vary, denotative meaning doesn't. For example, the dictionary definition of a home is universal: 'a house or place where one lives'. However, different people may have different connotations to the meaning of home depending on their cultural or social background. 4. Denotation doesn't always carry a neutral meaning
Denotative meaning is the opposite of connotative meaning, but how different are they? What happens if a writer uses denotation instead of connotation to describe a scene?
Connotative meaning refers to the associated, implied, or secondary meaning of a word. It is connected to the emotions and experiences of human beings. Connotative meaning can be positive, neutral, or negative, depending on the way a word or a sentence is said (e.g. its pronunciation or intonation).
The word unique can have two meanings:
Or the word basement, which can have two meanings:
Denotation represents the literal meaning of a word, the definition you find in the dictionary, without any additional associative value.
An example of denotative meaning is the word cold. In the sentence “the girl sitting next to me was cold”, the word cold refers to the corporal temperature of the girl.
Denotative meaning can also be called literal meaning, explicit meaning, or the dictionary definition of a word.
The opposite of denotative meaning is connotative meaning, which refers to the associated, implied, or secondary meaning of a word.
Denotation is only the literal meaning of a word. Connotation, instead, has a positive, neutral, or negative meanings.
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