publicity

Definitions

public + -ity (state, quality) = 'the state of being public.' It first meant neutral public attention or openness, then in everyday use narrowed to the deliberate effort to get that attention — promotion. Hence both 'the scandal got huge publicity' (attention received) and 'a publicity campaign' (promotion done).

Why It Means This

Publicity is literally 'the state of being public,' and that abstract core explains its split personality. As something you receive, it's plain public attention (good or bad): a film gets publicity, a scandal attracts publicity. As something you do, it's the active business of attracting that attention — promotion, marketing, the publicity department. The verb of that second, active sense is publicize. Note that 'bad publicity' is still publicity: the word itself is neutral about whether the attention helps.

Common Collocations

• 1.publicity stunt炒作噱头
• 2.generate publicity引发关注
• 3.negative publicity负面宣传
• 4.publicity campaign宣传活动
• 5.media publicity媒体曝光

Example Sentences

• 1.

  The movie received a lot of publicity before its release.

• 2.

  The scandal brought the company unwanted publicity.

• 3.

  They pulled a clever publicity stunt to launch the product.

Easily Confused

publicity vs advertising vs propaganda — advertising is paid promotion you control (you buy the slot). publicity is public attention you attract, often unpaid and not fully in your control (a news story, a stunt). propaganda is biased information pushed to shape opinion, usually political and pejorative. Free coverage = publicity; bought coverage = advertising.