ad English · revision 3315

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=clipping|attested=1799|origins=en advertisement}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: /æd/^(Roach et al. 2011)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is a shortening of [[advertisement]].^(Barnhart 1988)^(Etymonline)^(MWU 2024)^(NODE 1998)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ An advertisement: 1841, in Thackeray,^(Barnhart 1988)^(Etymonline)^(OED 1989) though Merriam-Webster dates it 1799.^(MWU 2024)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ The shortening was long resisted in the advertising trade, and Mencken (1945) reports that the president of the Associated Advertising Clubs of the World called it “the language of bootblacks”.^(Etymonline) ''Adman'' is from 1909.^(Barnhart 1988) In tennis ''ad'' is short for [[advantage]], from 1928, as in ''ad in'' and ''ad out''.^(OED 1989)^(AHD) American slang ''ad'' for a drug addict is from 1938.^(OED 1989)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 1799 – Merriam-Webster's first date.^(MWU 2024)

+ * 1841 – ''ad'', in Thackeray.^(Barnhart 1988)^(OED 1989)

+ * 1909 – ''adman''.^(Barnhart 1988)

+ * 1928 – in tennis, advantage.^(OED 1989)

+ * 1938 – a drug addict.^(OED 1989)

+

+ ==Modern meaning==

+ ===Noun===

+ # An [[advertisement]].^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)

+ # ''(tennis)'' [[advantage|alt=Advantage]].^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[admass]]

+ * [[adperson]]

+ * [[adman]]

+ * [[classified ad]]

+ * [[want ad]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[advertisement]]

+ * [[advert]]

+ * [[advertise]]

+

+ ==Usage notes==

+ Old English had an unrelated ''ād'' meaning “a fire, a funeral pyre”, recorded before 900.^(OED 1989)

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}