publishing

UK: /ˈpʌblɪʃɪŋ/ US: /ˈpʌblɪʃɪŋ/ ,(pub′li shing)

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

pub•lish•ing /ˈpʌblɪʃɪŋ/  n. [uncountable]

1. the act or business of printing and selling books.

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026

pub•lish•ing  (pub′li shing), n. 

1. Printing, Business the activities or business of a publisher, esp. of books or periodicals:
   He plans to go into publishing after college.

• 1375–1425; late Middle English (gerund, gerundive); see publish, -ing¹

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

pub•lish /ˈpʌblɪʃ/   v. 

1. Printing to issue (newspapers, books, or otherwise reproduced text or graphic material, computer software, etc.) for sale or distribution to the public: [~ + object]
   The company publishes books.
   [no object]
   The newspaper stopped publishing.
2. Printing to issue publicly (the work of):
   [~ + object] They publish (the plays of) William Shakespeare.

pub•lish•er, n. [countable]

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026

pub•lish  (pub′lish), v.t. 

1. Printing to issue (printed or otherwise reproduced textual or graphic material, computer software, etc.) for sale or distribution to the public.
2. Printing to issue publicly the work of:
   Random House publishes Faulkner.
3. to announce formally or officially;
   proclaim;
   promulgate.
4. to make publicly or generally known.
5. Law to communicate (a defamatory statement) to some person or persons other than the person defamed.

v.i. 

6. Printing to issue newspapers, books, computer software, etc.;
   engage in publishing:
   The new house will start to publish next month.
7. Printing to have one's work published:
   She has decided to publish with another house.

• Latin pūblicāre to make public
• Anglo-French *publiss-, long stem of *publir, for Middle French publier
• Middle English publisshen 1300–50

pub′lish•a•ble, adj. 
Synonyms

• 3. disclose, reveal, declare. See announce. 

Antonyms

• 3. conceal.

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

publish / ˈpʌblɪʃ/ verb

1. to produce and issue (printed or electronic matter) for distribution and sale
2. (intransitive) to have one's written work issued for publication
3. (transitive) to announce formally or in public
4. (transitive) to communicate (defamatory matter) to someone other than the person defamed: to publish a libel

Etymology: 14th Century: from Old French puplier, from Latin pūblicāre to make public

ˈpublishable adjective