publicity

[puh-blis-i-tee]

noun

1. extensive mention in the news media or by word of mouth or other means of communication.

2. public notice so gained.

3. the measures, process, or business of securing public notice.

4. information, articles, or advertisements issued to secure public notice or attention.

5. the state of being public, or open to general observation or knowledge.

publicity

/ pʌˈblɪsɪtɪ /

noun

1. 1. the technique or process of attracting public attention to people, products, etc, as by the use of the mass media

   2. ( as modifier )

      a publicity agent

2. public interest resulting from information supplied by such a technique or process

3. information used to draw public attention to people, products, etc

4. the state of being public

Other Word Forms

• nonpublicity noun
• overpublicity noun
• propublicity adjective
• superpublicity noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of publicity¹

1785–95; < French publicité < Medieval Latin pūblicitās. See public, -ity

Word History and Origins

Origin of publicity¹

C18: via French from Medieval Latin pūblicitās; see _public

Example Sentences

Around that time, there was a lot of publicity about Americans, especially older single women like myself, moving to Portugal.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

“This group of people, who hide behind anonymity, and their attorneys seek global publicity while making the ugliest of false allegations,” Frost told TMZ.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

With government having so much power these days, political fads too often capture business leaders who don’t want to risk bad publicity.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

Doing so, he added, "might create some prejudicial publicity about targets of the investigation" that could ultimately lead to intense litigation if any indictments are brought.

Read more on BBC

The ladybug, once a treasured member of the animal kingdom, is six legs deep in a publicity crisis.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

• attention 
• clout 
• commercial 
• distribution 
• fame 
• hoopla 
• hype 
• noise 
• notoriety 
• propaganda