Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “publicity” come from?

Publicity comes from French publicité, from Medieval Latin publicitatem, from Latin publicitas, derived from publicus meaning public, ultimately from populus meaning people.

publicity (English): Advertising or other activity designed to rouse...

Definitions

  1. Advertising or other activity designed to rouse...

Ancestry of “publicity”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Frenchpublicitépublicity, advertising; commercial, advertisement
2Medieval Latinpublicitatemaccusative singular of pūblicitās
3Latinpūblicus—
4Old LatinpoplicusAlternative form of publicus
5Latinpōpulus—
6Proto-Italicpoplosarmy

Words derived from “publicity”

  • prepublicity
  • antipublicity
Every word from Proto-Italic poplos →