Origin: Latin suffix -tion
Annotation has 3 different meanings across 1 category:
a comment or instruction (usually added)
"his notes were appended at the end of the article"
"he added a short notation to the address on the envelope"
the act of adding notes
"The teacher spent the afternoon annotating her students' essays with helpful comments about their grammar and structure."
A critical or explanatory commentary or analysis.
"The professor added a detailed annotation to the historical manuscript that explained the author's hidden political motives."
In plain English: An annotation is a note added to text to explain or highlight specific parts of it.
"The student added helpful annotations to the textbook while studying for the exam."
Usage: Use annotation to describe notes added directly onto a text, image, or digital file to explain or critique specific parts. It refers to the physical or digital marks themselves rather than the general act of making notes.
The word comes from the Latin annotatio, meaning "a note or remark." It entered English as a noun formed by adding the suffix -ion to the verb annotate.