What does the term 'connotation' refer to?

The term 'connotation' refers to the emotional or cultural association of a word. This encompasses the feelings, images, or ideas that a word evokes beyond its literal meaning. For example, the word “home” has positive connotations of warmth, safety, and family, while the word “snake” might evoke a sense of danger or distrust, despite any neutral definitions of either term. Understanding connotation is crucial in language as it influences how messages are received and interpreted by others, making it a fundamental aspect of effective communication.