publication

UK: /ˌpʌblɪˈkeɪʃ^ən/ US: /ˌpʌblɪˈkeɪʃən/ ,(pub′li kā′shən)

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2026

pub•li•ca•tion /ˌpʌblɪˈkeɪʃən/   n. 

1. Printing [uncountable] the act of publishing a book, periodical, piece of music, or the like.
2. the act of bringing before the public;
   announcement:
   [uncountable] the publication of the emergency plans for school closings.
3. something published:
   [countable] had 30 publications to his credit.

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026

pub•li•ca•tion  (pub′li kā′shən), n. 

1. Printing the act of publishing a book, periodical, map, piece of music, engraving, or the like.
2. the act of bringing before the public;
   announcement.
3. the state or fact of being published.
4. something that is published, esp. a periodical.

• Latin pūblicātiōn- (stem of pūblicātiō) a making public, confiscation, equivalent. to pūblicāt(us) (past participle of pūblicāre to make public) + -iōn- -ion
• Middle English publicacioun 1350–1400

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

publication / ˌpʌblɪˈkeɪʃən/ noun

1. the act or process of publishing a printed work
2. any printed work offered for sale or distribution
3. the act or an instance of making information public
4. the act of disseminating defamatory matter, esp by communicating it to a third person
   See libel, slander

Etymology: 14th Century: via Old French from Latin pūblicātiō confiscation of an individual's property, from pūblicāre to seize and assign to public use