publication
Americannoun
-
the act of publishing a book, periodical, map, piece of music, engraving, or the like.
-
the act of bringing before the public; announcement.
-
the state or fact of being published.
-
something that is published, especially a periodical.
noun
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Etymology
Origin of publication
1350–1400; Middle English publicacioun < Latin pūblicātiōn- (stem of pūblicātiō ) a making public, confiscation, equivalent to pūblicāt ( us ) (past participle of pūblicāre to make public ) + -iōn- -ion
Explanation
A publication is something made to communicate with the public. Publications are usually printed on paper (like magazines and books), but online publications are delivered via the Internet. The noun publication comes from the Latin word publicare, meaning “make public.” Publication usually means something is written and made available publicly, but a company or government can submit publications of things like earnings or unemployment indexes that are communicated differently. If you are an aspiring author, publication of your work is, most likely, the Holy Grail you seek.
Vocabulary lists containing publication
National Librarian Day
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
Reading: Informational - Middle School
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
Media Literacy - High School
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Another publication the same year, by Saul Geiser of the UC Berkeley Center for Studies in Higher Education, argued that the SAT is “a poor fit for America’s public universities.”
From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 11, 2026
AFP shared CCDH's report with Meta but the spokesman said: "We cannot address the claims in this report as we were not provided it in advance of publication."
From Barron's • Jun. 9, 2026
“Some of the funds that the Kim regime made through selling weapons and hacking are trickling down to the residents,” said Lee, who heads a data-research center owned by DailyNK, an online publication.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 8, 2026
Achieving publication in all three journals at the same time is an uncommon milestone in clinical research.
From Science Daily • Jun. 8, 2026
“Mr. Berrycloth, may I have a word? I don’t know if you’ve seen this new publication, sir, If the Invader Comes. They’re being posted to every home.”
From "The Bletchley Riddle" by Ruta Sepetys and Steve Sheinkin
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
