notify

[noh-tuh-fahy]

verb (used with object)

notified, notifying 

1. to inform (someone) or give notice to.

   to notify the police of a crime.

   Synonyms: tell, advise, apprise

2. Chiefly British.,  to make known; give information of.

   The sale was notified in the newspapers.

notify

/ ˈnəʊtɪˌfaɪ /

verb

1. to inform; tell

2. to draw attention to; make known; announce

Other Word Forms

• notifiable adjective
• notifier noun
• prenotify verb (used with object)
• renotify verb (used with object)
• unnotified adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of notify¹

First recorded in 1325–75; Middle English notifien, from Middle French notifier, from Latin nōtificāre, from (g)nōt(us), past participle of (g)nōscere “to come to know” ( know ¹ ) + -ificāre -ify

Word History and Origins

Origin of notify¹

C14: from Old French notifier, from Latin notificāre to make known, from nōtus known + facere to make

Example Sentences

The 1973 War Powers Act, which requires the president to notify Congress before hostilities and brief it afterward, would apply to this situation.

Read more on Salon

Megan Garcia, a Florida mom who sued Character.AI last year, alleges the company failed to notify her or offer help to her son who expressed suicidal thoughts to chatbots on the app.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

It’s unclear how the deputy got involved in the pursuit or when he notified the department he was back on duty.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

Two executives made sales last week, and a director has notified the Securities and Exchange Commission of his intent to make a sale.

Read more on Barron's

The identity of the victim has not been released because the County of Los Angeles Medical Examiner is notifying the man’s next of kin, police said.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• advise 
• alert 
• announce 
• apprise 
• brief 
• caution 
• declare 
• disclose 
• give 
• reveal 
• suggest 
• telephone 
• tell 
• warn