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agitprop

[ aj-it-prop ]
/ ˈædʒ ɪtˌprɒp /
|
SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR agitprop ON THESAURUS.COM

noun

agitation and propaganda, especially for the cause of communism.
(often initial capital letter) an agency or department, as of a government, that directs and coordinates agitation and propaganda.
Also ag·it·prop·ist. a person who is trained or takes part in such activities.

adjective

of or relating to agitprop.

RELATED WORDS

hype, indoctrination, publicity, disinformation, hogwash, announcement, publication, promulgation, brainwashing, handout, advertising, doctrine, promotion, evangelism, inculcation, implantation, newspeak, proselytism

Nearby words

agitated depression, agitation, agitato, agitator, agitpop, agitprop, aglaia, aglaophon of thasos, aglare, agleam, aglet

Origin of agitprop

1930–35; < Russian Agitpróp, orig. for Agitatsiónno-propagandístskiĭ otdél Agitation Propaganda Section (of the Central Committee, or a local committee, of the Communist Party); subsequently the head of such a section, or in compound names of political education organs, as agitpropbrigáda, etc.
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for agitprop

  • Having reviewed anti-Israeli agitprop masquerading as theater, I was prepared to join critics in hating The Death of Klinghoffer.

    See the Met’s ‘Klinghoffer,’ Then Judge It|James Kirchick|November 4, 2014|DAILY BEAST

  • Agitprop, in turn, is responsible for the transmission of guidelines down to the lowest levels of party organization.

    Area Handbook for Bulgaria|Eugene K. Keefe, Violeta D. Baluyut, William Giloane, Anne K. Long, James M. Moore, and Neda A. Walpole

British Dictionary definitions for agitprop

agitprop

/ (ˈædʒɪtˌprɒp) /

noun

(often capital) (formerly) a bureau of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union, in charge of agitation and propaganda on behalf of Communism
  1. any promotion, as in the arts, of political propaganda, esp of a Communist nature
  2. (as modifier)agitprop theatre

Word Origin for agitprop

C20: short for Russian Agitpropbyuro, from agit (atsiya) agitation + prop (aganda) propaganda
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

Word Origin and History for agitprop

agitprop

n.

also agit-prop, 1938, from Russian agitatsiya "agitation" (from French agitation; see agitation) + propaganda, from German (see propaganda).

Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper