- being a name or designation for something; meaning or referring to something: Bertrand Russell initially assumed that every denoting phrase—such as "Scott," "the number two," or "the golden mountain"—had to refer to an actually existing entity.
- being a symbol that represents or stands for something: When any design in metal or pottery is registered as copyright, the denoting mark is impressed upon each article as it is made.
- being an indicator or sign of something; identifying: The denoting signs of a company in financial distress usually include salary cuts, layoffs, and the resignation of top executives.
- the act or fact of naming, representing, indicating, or referring to something by means of a symbol, word, phrase, label, etc.: One thing that helps to standardize the spelling of placenames is the denoting of them by government-erected road signs.
