Etymologically
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publication

This is the current revision of this entry, as edited by bogdan on 16 October 2026 at 01:42. This address is a permanent link to this version.
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Pronunciation

  • IPA: /ˌpʌb.lɪˈkeɪ.ʃən/, /ˌpʌb.ləˈkeɪ.ʃən/[1]

Etymology

It is inherited from Middle English publicacioun, borrowed from Old French publicacion and directly from Latin pūblicātiō (“a making public”),[2][3][4] a noun of action from pūblicāre “to make public”, from pūblicus “public”.[2][3] It is related to publish and public.[2][3]

Earliest recorded meaning

Making something publicly known, an announcement: 1387 in the OED, before 1387 in Trevisa's translation of Higden's Polychronicon according to Barnhart.[5][3]

Semantic evolution

Issuing a book, map or engraving to the public is from 1576 (the 1570s in Etymonline),[5][3][2] and a work so issued from 1656.[5][3] In law, notification to those concerned is from 1590.[5] The Latinism “making a thing public property, confiscation” is from 1611.[5] The parallel publishment existed alongside it.[2] In Nonconformist use in Wales, a publication was a preaching engagement.[6]

Timeline

  • 1387 – making known.[5][3]
  • 1576 – issuing a book.[5][3]
  • 1656 – a published work.[5][3]

Modern meaning

Noun

  1. The act of printing a book, magazine or other work and making it available.
  2. A book, magazine or other work that has been published.
  3. The act of making information known to the public.

Word family

  • nonpublication
  • prepublication
  • republication

References

  1. ^ Jones, Daniel (2011), Cambridge English Pronouncing Dictionary, 18th ed., ed. Peter Roach, Jane Setter and John Esling, Cambridge: Cambridge University Press
  2. ^ a b c d e Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
  3. ^ a b c d e f g h i Barnhart, Robert K. (1988), The Barnhart Dictionary of Etymology
  4. ^ Merriam-Webster Unabridged Dictionary (2024), online ed., Springfield, Mass.: Merriam-Webster
  5. ^ a b c d e f g h Simpson, J. A.; Weiner, E. S. C., eds. (1989), The Oxford English Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Clarendon Press
  6. ^ Wright, Joseph, ed. (1898–1905), The English Dialect Dictionary, 6 vols., Oxford: Henry Frowde; via EDD Online 4.0, University of Innsbruck (CC BY 4.0)