What is the term for the most direct meaning of a word?

• A. Connotation
• B. Denotation
• C. Synonym
• D. Etymology

Answer: (B)

Denotation is the direct, literal meaning of a word—the dictionary definition. This is exactly what the question is asking for: the straightforward sense of the word without emotional or associative overtones. For example, the denotation of “home” is a place where someone lives; its connotation includes warmth, safety, and family, which are the feelings or ideas the word may evoke beyond its literal meaning. Etymology looks at a word’s origin, not its current meaning. A synonym is another word with a similar meaning, though it may carry different nuances. So denotation is the best answer because it identifies the explicit meaning rather than feelings or history attached to the word.