Etymologically
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publish

This is the current revision of this entry, as edited by bogdan on 16 October 2026 at 14:34. This address is a permanent link to this version.
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Pronunciation

  • IPA: /ˈpʌblɪʃ/[1]

Etymology

It is Middle English publishen, an alteration of earlier publicen (before 1338) under the influence of verbs such as banish, finish and accomplish,[2][3] borrowed from Old French publier (“to make public, spread abroad”), puplier,[3][2][4] from Latin pūblicāre (“to make public”), from pūblicus (see public).[3][2][5]

Earliest recorded meaning

To make publicly known, declare openly: about 1330 in the OED;[6] the mid-14th century in Etymonline, and about 1378, in Piers Plowman, in Barnhart.[3][2]

Semantic evolution

To announce formally, as a judicial sentence, is from about 1380.[6] To issue a book or other work to the public, causing it to be printed and offered for sale, is from the late 14th century,[3] the 16th century in Hoad.[5] In Middle English it also meant to disgrace or denounce publicly, and to people or populate.[3] In law, to publish a libel is to communicate defamatory matter to a third person (1480).[6][7] In Welsh English, to publish is to announce the preacher for a day.[8]

Timeline

  • c. 1330 – to make known.[6]
  • before 1338 – publicen.[2]
  • c. 1380 – to announce formally.[6]
  • late 14th century – to issue a book.[3]
  • 1480 – to publish a will or libel.[6]

Modern meaning

Verb

  1. To prepare and issue printed or electronic material for distribution or sale.
  2. To have one's writing published.
  3. To make known publicly; to announce.
  4. (law) To communicate defamatory matter to a third person.

Word family

  • publishable
  • micropublish
  • prepublish
  • publisher
  • publishment
  • republish
  • self-publish
  • unpublished

References

  1. ^ Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
  2. ^ a b c d e Barnhart, Robert K. (1988), The Barnhart Dictionary of Etymology
  3. ^ a b c d e f g Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
  4. ^ Merriam-Webster Unabridged Dictionary (2024), online ed., Springfield, Mass.: Merriam-Webster
  5. ^ a b Hoad, T. F., ed. (1986), The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology, Oxford: Clarendon Press
  6. ^ a b c d e f Simpson, J. A.; Weiner, E. S. C., eds. (1989), The Oxford English Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Clarendon Press
  7. ^ Collins English Dictionary (2023), Glasgow: HarperCollins
  8. ^ 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)