promotion

[pruh-moh-shuhn]

noun

1. advancement in rank or position.

2. furtherance or encouragement.

3. the act of promoting.

4. the state of being promoted.

5. something devised to publicize or advertise a product, cause, institution, etc., as a brochure, free sample, poster, television or radio commercial, or personal appearance.

6. Also called queening. Chess.,  the replacement of a pawn that has reached the enemy's first rank by a more powerful piece of the same color, usually a queen.

Other Word Forms

• promotional adjective
• nonpromotion noun
• prepromotion noun
• self-promotion noun
• unpromotional adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of promotion¹

First recorded in 1400–50; late Middle English, from Late Latin prōmōtiōn-, stem of prōmōtiō “movement forward, advancement”; equivalent to promote + -ion

Example Sentences

The Small Business Holiday Outlook, a survey conducted by online-marketing company Constant Contact, found that 70% of consumers are actively seeking deals and promotions this holiday season.

Read more on MarketWatch

However, Sony will take over all marketing, promotions and affiliate relations for the shows after the current television season, which ends in mid-2026.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

The company said the decline was due to increased promotions and fewer single-day visitors.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

Both have plenty of experience with savage reviews, and both know they provide some of the best free promotion available.

Read more on Salon

Newsom vetoed other legislation that the tech industry opposed, including Senate Bill 7, which requires employers to notify workers before deploying an “automated decision system” in hiring, promotions and other employment decisions.

Read more on Los Angeles Times