advertisement
Pluraladvertisements
- 1A commercial message created to promote and sell a product, service, or the like.
The agency designed an advertisement that ran across television and social media.
Magazine advertisements often target a specific group of readers.
UsageAn advertisement for a product; everyday speech usually says ad. The industry is advertising.
Similarcommercial, promotion
- 2A notice made available to the general public, such as an announcement printed in a newspaper or posted publicly.
The council published an advertisement announcing the date of the public hearing.
Legal advertisements must appear in a newspaper of record for several weeks.
UsageThe usual verb is place: place an advertisement in a newspaper.
Similarnotice, announcement
Note
Here the advertisement informs rather than sells. A council that places an advertisement about forthcoming roadworks is telling residents something, not courting customers. This use stays closest to the "statement calling attention" behind the commercial meaning. Context, not form, tells a reader whether a notice informs or sells.
- 3Something that serves as a recommendation for a particular product, service, or person.
His polished manners were a fine advertisement for his upbringing.
The restaurant's loyal regulars are its strongest advertisement.
UsageUsually be a good advertisement for something: happy customers are the best advertisement for a shop.
Similarrecommendation, endorsement
Note
Here a person or quality does the promoting, usually without meaning to: students' good manners and intelligence are an advertisement for their school. No paid message or broadcast is needed. The thing praised simply shows well through what it produces.
Less common meanings
- 4The condition of being widely and publicly known; notoriety.
Note
An obsolete sense that a modern reader can easily misread. In older texts, someone who courted advertisement was seeking to be talked about, not buying space for a product. Read it there as notoriety or public notice.
- 5In gin rummy, the discarding of a card from one's preferred suit in order to mislead an opponent into thinking it is unwanted.
Practice
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Origin
This word comes from the Middle French advertissement, meaning a statement calling attention, and is related to French avertissement, meaning a warning. It is equivalent in form to 'advertise' plus the suffix '-ment'.
Checked 5 Nov 2026 · 3 facts
- Advertisement comes from Middle French advertissement, meaning a statement calling attention. en.wiktionary.org
- Advertisement is related to French avertissement, meaning a warning. en.wiktionary.org
- It was borrowed from Middle French; advertise plus -ment is an equivalent morphological analysis. en.wiktionary.org