Connotation (semiotics)

In semiotics, which is the study of signs and symbols and their use or interpretation, connotation refers to the associative meanings and emotional implications that a sign carries beyond its literal or denotative meaning. While denotation is the explicit or direct meaning of a sign (like a word or image), connotation encompasses the cultural, emotional, and personal associations that people may have with that sign. For example, the word "home" denotatively refers to a physical place where someone lives.