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Origin of broadcast

First recorded in 1760–70; originally, broad (adverb) + cast, past participle of cast

OTHER WORDS FROM broadcast

un·broad·cast·ed, adjective

WORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH broadcast

broadcast , narrowcast, simulcast
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

MORE ABOUT BROADCAST

What does broadcast mean?

Broadcast means to transmit a television or radio program, as in The network broadcasted cartoons every Saturday morning. 

In this sense a broadcast can be a single TV or radio program, as in the 6 o’clock news broadcast.

Broadcast also means to deliver a message on a transmitted program, as in The police broadcasted the press release on the evening news. 

More generally, broadcast means to spread something widely, as in She broadcasted her recent wedding engagement to all of her family members. 

Related to this sense, a broadcast can be news or something similar that you share widely, like your broadcast to your classmates about the A you got on the test.

Broadcast also means to mistakenly make a next move obvious, as in The boxer broadcasted his punch with a flashy windup. 

Example: Coverage of the awards ceremony was the leading story on every news broadcast. 

Where does broadcast come from?

The first records of broadcast come from around 1760. It combines the word broad, meaning “fully,” and the past tense of the verb cast, meaning “to fling or throw.” The word broadcast has been used to refer to widely distributing (flinging) seeds over a large area when planting.

The word broadcast is used heavily in terms of television and radio. In fact, a person who works in one or both of these industries will often refer to them collectively as broadcasting, as in I had a career in broadcasting. Usually, a broadcast will be specified according to the content that it focuses on, such as a news broadcast or a sports broadcast.

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What are some other forms related to broadcast?

What are some synonyms for broadcast?

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

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

How is broadcast used in real life?

Broadcast is a commonly used word, especially referring to television or radio programs.

Try using broadcast!

Which of the following words is NOT a synonym of broadcast?

A. announce
B. spread
C. hide
D. declare

How to use broadcast in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for broadcast

Derived forms of broadcast

broadcaster, nounbroadcasting, noun
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
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