public relations

American  

noun

1. (used with a plural verb) the actions of a corporation, store, government, individual, etc., in promoting goodwill between itself and the public, the community, employees, customers, etc.

2. (used with a singular verb) the art, technique, or profession of promoting such goodwill.

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public relations British  

noun

1. 1. the practice of creating, promoting, or maintaining goodwill and a favourable image among the public towards an institution, public body, etc

   2. the methods and techniques employed

   3. ( as modifier )

      the public relations industry

2. the condition of the relationship between an organization and the public

3. the professional staff employed to create, promote, or maintain a favourable relationship between an organization and the public

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Etymology

Origin of public relations

First recorded in 1800–10

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

public relations

Favier, 57, was head of public relations for luxury fashion brand Dior.

From Barron's ● Aug. 18, 2026

“When you put all this together, what you see is Flock treating privacy issues as public relations issues,” he told The New York Times.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 14, 2026

His public relations officer, Yuvaraj, told BBC Tamil that the media would be informed if the actor issued a statement.

From BBC ● Aug. 13, 2026

Lindsey Rodarmer, public relations manager for Acentra Health, said the company’s role under its contract is solely to build out the claims processing system — not to start processing claims.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 6, 2026

To counter such negative impressions, prominent business people launched an all-out public relations campaign.

From "The Great Fire" by Jim Murphy