advert

1
[ ad-vurt ]
/ ædˈvɜrt /
SEE SYNONYMS FOR advert ON THESAURUS.COM

verb (used without object)

to remark or comment; refer (usually followed by to): He adverted briefly to the news of the day.
to turn the attention (usually followed by to): The committee adverted to the business at hand.

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Origin of advert

1
1375–1425; late Middle English a(d)verten<Old French a(d)vertir ≪ Latin advertere to pay attention, equivalent to ad-ad- + vertere to turn; ad- replacing a-a-5

Words nearby advert

adverse possession, adverse pressure gradient, adverse reaction, adverse selection, adversity, advert, advertence, advertency, advertent, advertise, advertisement

Definition for advert (2 of 2)

advert2
[ ad-vert ]
/ ˈæd vərt /

noun Chiefly British Informal.

advertisement.

Origin of advert

2
by shortening
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2020

VOCAB BUILDER

What does advert mean?

Advert is short for advertisement. It is primarily used in the U.K. in the same way that American speakers use the word ad.

Advert is also a verb that means to call attention to or reference something. This is easy to remember since the purpose of advertisements is to get your attention.

Example: There are way too many adverts on this page.

Where does advert come from?

As a shortening of advertisement, advert has been in use since at least the 1800s. The first records of advert used as a verb come from around the 1400s. It comes from the Latin verb advertere, meaning “to turn one’s attention to (something),” from a combination of ad-, meaning “toward,” and vertere, “to turn.” The word advertise is based on the same root.

The very similar-looking verb avert is based on the same root as the verb advert but has just about the opposite meaning: to avert is to turn away or look away, but to advert is to turn one’s attention toward something. As a verb, advert is always followed by to. If a meeting goes off on a tangent, you could advert to the topic at hand. When you’re chatting with someone, you might briefly advert to something you just heard about—meaning you remark about it or comment on it. These are common actions, but advert is not a commonly used verb.

It is much more commonly used as a noun meaning “ad.” Speakers of British English see adverts in all the same places that American speakers see ads, and they have different names for those things, too, like the tele (TV) and the tube (subway).

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What are some other forms related to advert?

  • adverts (plural)

What are some synonyms for advert?

What are some words that share a root or word element with advert? 

What are some words that often get used in discussing advert?

What are some words advert may be commonly confused with?

 

How is advert used in real life?

When it refers to an advertisement, advert is used informally—exactly the same way ad is used.

 

 

Try using advert!

Is advert used correctly in the following sentence? 

Advert to the fine print on the advert before you sign up for the promotional deal.

Words related to advert

notice, observe, consider, attend

Example sentences from the Web for advert

British Dictionary definitions for advert (1 of 2)

advert1
/ (ˈædvɜːt) /

noun

British informal short for advertisement

British Dictionary definitions for advert (2 of 2)

advert2
/ (ədˈvɜːt) /

verb

(intr foll by to) to draw attention (to); refer (to)

Word Origin for advert

C15: from Latin advertere to turn one's attention to. See adverse
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012