What does notation mean?
Notation is a conventional system of symbols or written signs used to record and communicate information. In music, it represents pitch, rhythm, duration, dynamics, and other aspects of a composition through symbols such as the staff, clef, and note heads. In mathematics and science, notation allows quantities, relationships, formulas, and measurements to be expressed precisely and compactly. The word can also refer more generally to the practice of recording information systematically, as in archival or administrative notation. Notation is therefore more than a set of marks: it is an agreed convention that gives each symbol a stable meaning and enables others to interpret what has been recorded. Its usefulness depends on shared knowledge of the system, which is why the conventions are usually taught formally. The term is primarily formal and technical, appearing in discussions of music, mathematics, science, linguistics, and record-keeping.
nounA system of symbols, signs, or written signs used to represent words, sounds, mathematical quantities, or other information. The term can also refer to the act or practice of using such a system.
- A system of symbols or written signs used to represent information, especially in music, mathematics, science, or record-keeping.
- The act or practice of recording information in a systematic written form.
"The composer arranged the melody in a traditional musical notation."
"Students learned the notation of algebraic expressions before tackling more advanced equations."
"The archivist was trained in the notation used by the medieval scribes."
The plural refers to distinct systems, styles, or acts of notation.
"The scholar compared medieval notations used for astronomical calculations."
Without notation, melody, mathematics, and chemistry would have remained powerful ideas without a practical way to record or share them.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does notation come from?
Notation derives from Latin notation, a noun formed from notare, meaning “to mark” or “to note,” and ultimately from nota, meaning “a mark” or “sign.” The word entered English in the 16th century and initially referred to the act of making notes or recording information. Its later use for systems of symbols developed from this earlier sense of written marking.
Related word forms
How notation is actually used
In music, notation refers specifically to the conventional symbols used to indicate pitch, duration, rhythm, and related features. In mathematics and science, it denotes a standardized symbolic system, while in record-keeping it may refer more broadly to abbreviated or systematic written entries. The word is formal and primarily technical.
Easily confused with notation
Notation is a system of written symbols, whereas a notion is an idea, belief, or concept.