The connotation is a quality or an idea that a word makes you think of that is more than its basic meaning. The connotation is a secondary meaning which is beyond its dictionary meaning or explicit denotation. The meanings are often emotional and have a range of associations. 
These meanings are implied by the speaker or writer and are inferred by the listener or reader. M.H. Abraham differentiated between Connotation and Denotation. According to him the denotation of a word is its reference or primary signification whereas its connotation is the range of secondary or associated significations which it commonly implies and suggests. “Horse” and “Steed” refers to the same quadruped, but “Steed” has a different connotation which is derived from the romantic or chivalric narratives in which this word was often used. Similarly, “Home” refers to the house where one lives, but connotes intimacy, privacy and coziness Words can be used for positive and negative connotation depending on the contextual situation. The use of words is for making good and bad sense, feelings, impressions, expression, etc. for example, advertisers and politicians may use words with positive connotations while expressing their message attractively.

 A word with a negative connotation may be used to describe an unpleasant feeling. Pleasant or positive connotations are also called honorific, while negative ones are called pejorative. Pejorative connotations may also refer to a “polite” words versus an “impolite” word though both mean a fairly negative phenomenon (Gowers, 1987). Lexicology studies two essential aspects of word meaning; “denotative” which is the factual and intellectual meaning and “connotative” which is emotional and evaluative meaning. There are at least three types of connotations mentioned in linguistic literature (Cruse, 1997): power solidarity, evaluative and associative(metaphor). One and the same word may have positive or negative connotations according to the speaker/listener (gender, educational level, religion, nationality, sociolinguistic factors of age, social class, political and general views have to be taken into consideration) and situational context. Gairns and Redman highlight this thesis with examples of usage of the word “liberal”