propaganda

American  

[prop-uh-gan-duh] / ˌprɒp əˈgæn də /

noun

1. information, ideas, or rumors deliberately spread widely to help or harm a person, group, movement, institution, nation, etc.

2. the deliberate spreading of such information, rumors, etc.

3. the particular doctrines or principles propagated by an organization or movement.

4. Roman Catholic Church.

   1. a committee of cardinals, established in 1622 by Pope Gregory XV, having supervision over foreign missions and the training of priests for these missions.

   2. a school College of Propaganda established by Pope Urban VIII for the education of priests for foreign missions.

5. Archaic. an organization or movement for the spreading of propaganda.

---

Propaganda ¹ British  

/ ˌprɒpəˈɡændə /

noun

1. RC Church a congregation responsible for directing the work of the foreign missions and the training of priests for these

---

propaganda ² British  

/ ˌprɒpəˈɡændə /

noun

1. the organized dissemination of information, allegations, etc, to assist or damage the cause of a government, movement, etc

2. such information, allegations, etc

---

propaganda Cultural  

1. Official government communications to the public that are designed to influence opinion. The information may be true or false, but it is always carefully selected for its political effect.

---

Other Word Forms

• propagandism noun
• propagandist noun

Etymology

Origin of propaganda

First recorded in 1710–20; from New Latin, short for congregātiō dē propāgandā fidē “congregation for propagating the faith”; propāgandā, ablative singular feminine gerundive of propāgāre; propagate

Example Sentences

And United Fruit enlisted public relations pioneer Edward Bernays to spread propaganda, not in Guatemala but in the United States.

From Salon

Still under the influence of the propaganda she had absorbed as a child, she had not then grasped the degree of Mao’s cruelty and cynicism.

From The Wall Street Journal

That’s left opportunities for outsize achievement for a government perennially hunting for propaganda victories and international prestige.

From The Wall Street Journal

But key terms—“disinformation,” “propaganda,” and “conspiracy theory”—lack precise definitions in EU law.

From The Wall Street Journal

Endlessly inventive and musically restless, their songs are given focus by Winter's sharp unfiltered lyrics, cutting through superficial relationships, state propaganda, and social divisions.

From BBC

Related Words

• disinformation
• hype
• indoctrination
• publicity