Answer: the association that goes with a word
Explanation: Denotation simply means the dictionary meaning of a word. Which implies that it's the definition you get for a word on looking it up in the dictionary. When we denote, quite often we mean to refer literally and to convey meaning (the in tension and expression of a word)
Quite often in speaking and in works of literature, there's deviation from the dictionary meaning of words to create fresher ideas and images. Such deviations are usually figurative (connotative) and care should be taken not to confuse it with denotation (the primary meaning of a word.