Connotation and Denotation:

Words have various shades of meaning. For this reason, author's must choose their words carefully to convey the mood they hope their reader will feel.

• The denotation of a word is its literal meaning found in the dictionary.

• The connotation of a word refers to the connection, feelings, or emotions that a word stirs up in the minds of people who hear it or read it.  Connotations can be positive, negative or neutral.