annotation

noun

an·​no·​ta·​tion ˌa-nə-ˈtā-shən 

1

: a note added by way of comment or explanation

The bibliography was provided with helpful annotations.

2

: the act of annotating something

Examples of annotation in a Sentence

Without the annotations, the diagram would be hard to understand.

the author's annotation of the diagram

Recent Examples on the Web

There’s also a full PDF editor for adding text and annotations, inserting signatures, blurring or covering sensitive information, and autofilling documents using custom templates. — Stackcommerce Team, PC Magazine, 29 Sep. 2026

His commentary became an important part of the textual tradition, and his annotations are included in many modern editions of the work. — Ethan Teekah, Encyclopedia Britannica, 11 Sep. 2026

Amazon also looked to capitalize on the demand for AI training by marketing MTurk as a data annotation source for its SageMaker service. — Annie Palmer, CNBC, 26 Aug. 2026

This novel comes to readers in the form of a poem—one written by a fictional poet and accompanied by annotations from the poet’s (also fictional) colleague. — Caroline Rogers, Southern Living, 22 Aug. 2026

Word History

Etymology

see annotate

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Rhymes for annotation

• abdication
• aberration
• abjuration
• abnegation
• abrogation
• acceptation
• acclamation
• acclimation
• accusation
• activation
• actuation
• acylation

Kids Definition

annotation

noun

an·​no·​ta·​tion ˌan-ə-ˈtā-shən 

1

: the act of annotating

2

: a note added as a comment or explanation

Legal Definition

annotation

noun

an·​no·​ta·​tion ˌa-nə-ˈtā-shən 

1

: a note added (as to a statute) by way of comment or explanation often furnishing summaries of relevant court decisions

2

capitalized : an informational and descriptive note or essay (as about a case or legal issue) especially in American Law Reports