publicity

From French publicité, From Medieval Latin pūblicitātem, accusative singular of pūblicitās, from Latin pūblicus (“public, general”).

Morphologically public +‎ -ity

• Rhymes: -ɪsɪti

publicity (usually uncountable, plural publicities)

1. Advertising or other activity designed to rouse public interest in something.
   • 1979 August 11, “Man Found Not Guilty”, in Gay Community News, volume 7, number 4, page 2:

     A gay man accused of disorderly conduct for posting publicity for a Boston gay event was found not guilty in Cambridge District Court on July 22.

2. Public interest attracted in this way.
   • 1963 February, “Nobody runs this railway, mate”, in Modern Railways, page 73:

     Any publicity, runs the axiom, is good publicity.

3. The condition of being the object of public attention.
4. The quality of being public, not private.
   • 1847 January – 1848 July, William Makepeace Thackeray, Vanity Fair […], London: Bradbury and Evans […], published 1848, →OCLC:

     Amelia's gentle eyes, too, had been fixed anxiously on the pair, whose conduct had so chafed the jealous General; but when Rebecca entered her box, she flew to her friend with an affectionate rapture which showed itself, in spite of the publicity of the place; for she embraced her dearest friend in the presence of the whole house, at least in full view of the General's glass, now brought to bear upon the Osborne party.