advertisement

noun

ad·​ver·​tise·​ment ˌad-vər-ˈtīz-mənt 

əd-ˈvər-təz-mənt,

-tə-smənt 

plural advertisements

1

: a public notice

especially : a paid notice that is published or broadcast (as to attract customers or to provide information of public interest)

an advertisement for a new car/movie/business

advertisements for job openings

radio/television/online advertisements

took out a full-page advertisement

2

: the act or process of advertising something

Rules could also be introduced pertaining to the advertisement of unhealthy food …

—Brooke Rolfe

3

: something resembling an advertisement (as in alerting someone to something)

Many people in the UK like to put their Christmas tree up in their front window and pile gifts up beneath it. This might look good to your neighbours, but it's just an advertisement for a thief to nick your loot!

—Kate Whitfield

especially : a person or thing that shows how good or effective something is

The 25-year-old from Cameroon has become a[n] … advertisement for perseverance.

—Lethbridge News Now (online)

A CV [=curriculum vitae] is the chance to impress employers, and it is an advertisement for skills and experience.

—Laura Davies and Lucinda Reid

Synonyms

• ad
• advert [chiefly British]
• announcement
• bulletin
• communiqué
• notice
• notification
• posting
• release

Examples of advertisement in a Sentence

The advertisement will appear in three magazines.

He learned about the job from an advertisement in the newspaper.

The company has spent a lot of money on advertisement.

Recent Examples on the Web

The two clubs are slightly synonymous, though, because both featured in one of the UK’s most famous sporting commercials, an advertisement for milk broadcast in 1989. —Phil Hay, The Athletic, 10 Jan. 2025

In the state of New York, for example, where almost all employers must disclose a salary range in job postings, 10% of advertisements omit pay information, that research found. —Josie Cox, Forbes, 10 Jan. 2025

The Vigilance Committee subscribed to papers including the Baltimore Sun and Richmond Dispatch, which carried advertisements from slavers looking for runaways. —Matthew Wills, JSTOR Daily, 10 Jan. 2025

Tetiana saw an advertisement for the unit while scrolling through her phone last summer. —Joanna Kakissis, NPR, 10 Jan. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, borrowed from Anglo-French avertisement, advertissement, from avertiss-, advertiss-, stem of avertir, advertir "to notify, (reflexive) recognize, be mindful of" + -ment -ment — more at advert entry 1

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Phrases Containing advertisement

• banner advertisement
• self-advertisement

Kids Definition

advertisement

noun

ad·​ver·​tise·​ment ˌad-vər-ˈtīz-mənt  əd-ˈvərt-əz- 

1

: the act or process of advertising

2

: a public notice

especially : one published or broadcast