notation

notation — noun

1. a set of standard written signs or symbols that people agree to use for represen

1.nounB2
Definition

a set of standard written signs or symbols that people agree to use for representing numbers, musical notes, or other information within a particular field.

Example

Bao learned to read musical notation in his first piano lesson.

collocation: musical notation

The teacher showed how mathematical notation makes long equations easier to understand.

collocation: mathematical notation

Common collocations
  • musical notation
  • mathematical notation
  • chemical notation
  • scientific notation
  • graphical notation
  • standard notation
Synonyms
  • symbolism

    more abstract; notation is a concrete, agreed-upon system of marks

  • script

    usually refers to writing systems for natural languages, not specialized symbols

  • code

    implies secrecy or compression; notation aims to represent information openly and clearly

Grammar Patterns

uncountable

notation + noun

Usage Note

Usually uncountable. Use 'a system of notation' or a noun modifier (e.g., musical notation) rather than 'a notation' in most contexts.

Common Mistakes

I wrote a quick notation in the margin of the book.
I wrote a quick annotation in the margin of the book.
A 'notation' is a system of symbols, not a brief explanatory comment.

2. the process of writing or recording information by using a system of agreed symb

2.nounB2
Definition

the process of writing or recording information by using a system of agreed symbols or marks instead of ordinary words.

Example

Yan uses a special notation to mark the sections she plans to rewrite.

collocation: special notation

The engineer's notation on the diagram showed the exact measurements for each part.

collocation: notation on [a drawing]

Common collocations
  • careful notation
  • clear notation
  • special notation
  • proper notation
Synonyms
  • recording

    broader meaning; notation specifically emphasises the use of agreed symbols

  • marking

    simpler and more general; notation implies a formal symbolic system

Grammar Patterns

uncountable

Usage Note

Common in academic and technical writing to describe how data or steps are recorded using symbols.

Common Mistakes

She made a notation on the calendar.
She made a note on the calendar.
For everyday reminders, 'note' is more natural; 'notation' sounds overly technical.

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

Whereas 'notation' refers to a whole system of agreed symbols used in a field (e.g., chemical notation, dance notation), 'annotation' is a brief explanatory note added to a text — completely different in purpose. A 'symbol' is a single mark or character within a notation system, not the system itself. 'Shorthand' is a system for writing quickly (usually for recording speech), while notation prioritises clarity and precision over speed. For example, a chemist reads H₂O as a piece of chemical notation, not a shorthand version of 'water', and the footnote explaining where the sample came from is an annotation.

annotation ↗symbol ↗shorthand

Common collocations

Nouns

  • musical notation
  • mathematical notation
  • chemical notation
  • scientific notation
  • graphical notation

Phrases

  • a system of notation
  • standard notation
  • in scientific notation

Prepositions

  • in notation
  • into notation

Etymology

LatinFrenchEnglish

Notation entered English in the 1500s through French, from the Latin noun 'notatio', which comes from the verb 'notare' meaning 'to mark or note'. This verb is based on 'nota', meaning 'a mark or sign'. The word first referred to the act of making brief written notes, and later developed the meaning of a complete system of symbols used in specialized fields such as mathematics and music.