noun
annotation
an-uh-TAY-shun
Annotation (noun) means a note added to a text, diagram or image to explain or comment on part of it. Example: “Her annotations fill every margin of the paperback.”
noun
1
A note added to a text, diagram or image to explain or comment on part of it.
"Her annotations fill every margin of the paperback."
"The map carries an annotation explaining the shaded area."
2
The act or process of adding such notes, or of labelling data so it can be searched or used to train software.
"Annotation of the manuscript took three years."
"Most of the project budget went on data annotation."
3
technical In programming, a piece of metadata attached to code that tells a tool or framework how to treat it.
"The method is marked with an annotation that makes it run before every test."
How to use annotation
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishA note added to something to explain it.
When to use it
Neutral; common in academic, publishing and technical contexts.
Memory tip
'Notation' means a system of symbols; 'annotation' means an explanatory note. They are not interchangeable.
Trace the full origin ↓
Easily confused with
Common pairings
marginal annotation
annotated edition
data annotation
annotated bibliography
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Her _____ fill every margin of the paperback.
Etymology
From Latin annotatio, from annotare 'to mark', from ad- 'to' and nota 'mark'.
Synonyms
View more →Related words
Rhymes for annotation
region
ablation
allusion
emulsion
ideation
novation
diffusion
elocution
extension
oxidation
perfusion
selection
See all rhymes for annotation →
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between an annotation and a footnote?
A footnote is a note printed at the foot of the page and tied to the text by a number, usually written by the author or editor for publication. An annotation is any explanatory note added to a text, including private notes a reader writes in the margin.
What is the difference between an annotation and a summary?
A summary condenses the whole of a text into a shorter version of it. An annotation is attached to a specific point in the text and adds something the text itself does not say, such as an explanation, a question or a cross-reference.
What is an annotated bibliography?
It is a list of sources in which each entry is followed by a short paragraph describing the source and assessing its usefulness. The annotations are what separate it from a plain reference list.
What is the meaning of annotation?
"annotation" (noun) means a note added to a text, diagram or image to explain or comment on part of it.
