Which option best defines the verb denote?

• A. to be a name or symbol for
• B. to indicate
• C. to mean; to symbolize
• D. to equate

Answer: (C)

Denote means to mean or to symbolize—that is, to indicate the meaning of something or what a sign represents. When a word, symbol, or label denotes something, it stands for it and conveys its sense. That’s why the best definition is “to mean; to symbolize”: it captures both the literal sense (what it means) and the representational aspect (what it stands for or signifies).

The other ideas are related but narrower or different in use. “Indicate” can be about pointing something out or signaling a cue rather than conveying the full meaning or signification. “To be a name or symbol for” touches on designation, but doesn’t emphasize the connection between the sign and its meaning as clearly. “To equate” involves sameness or equality, which isn’t about signifying what something stands for.