denotation

Concise Oxford English Dictionary © 2008 Oxford University Press:
denote /dɪˈnəʊt/

▶verb be a sign of; indicate.

■ stand as a name or symbol for.

– derivatives
denotation noun,
denotational adjective,
denotative /-tətɪv/ adjective.

– origin C16: from Fr. dénoter or L. denotare, from de- ‘away, thoroughly’ + notare ‘observe, note’.