dissemination
Americannoun
Usage
What does dissemination mean? Dissemination is the act or process of disseminating—distributing, spreading, broadcasting, or dispersing widely. The word is especially used in reference to the distribution of information, or things that contain information, like files and documents. It is also associated with the official release of such information by organizations, such as the dissemination of a press release by a company or the dissemination of information to the public by a government agency. Example: Our chief media officer is responsible for the dissemination of press releases to various outlets.
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Etymology
Origin of dissemination
First recorded in 1630–50; disseminat(e) ( def. ) + -ion ( def. )
Explanation
Dissemination is the scattering of information. If you've done something really embarrassing and don't want the whole school to know, let's hope no one who saw you is an expert in the rapid dissemination of humiliating facts. Dissemination builds on the word, seminate, meaning "to plan seeds." When you add the prefix dis-, you add the idea of separation, so to disseminate means to spread seeds widely. These could be literal seeds, like the dissemination of Oak genes by the scattering of acorns, or metaphorical seeds of ideas, like the dissemination of radical ideas through blogs, zines, and list-servs.
Vocabulary lists containing dissemination
Journalism
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
Pet
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Dissemination to third parties is where you get into very serious issues.
From Washington Times • Sep. 24, 2015
Dissemination of the information is limited for use in preparing for trial.
From Washington Times • Apr. 24, 2015
While at this year’s festival, I sat down with Doron Weber, Vice President of Programs, who oversees the Public Understanding initiative, as well as the Foundation's Digital Information Technology and the Dissemination of Knowledge program.
From Scientific American • Feb. 16, 2011
In January Sanchez ordered a full-scale probe of prison practices under the charge of Major General Antonio Taguba, who completed his "Secret/No Foreign Dissemination" report in early March.
From Time Magazine Archive
Dissemination of a knowledge of the laws of heredity so far as they are surely known, and promotion of their further study.
From Introduction to the Science of Sociology by Park, Robert Ezra
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
