advertising | Search Online Etymology Dictionary

40 entries found.

1869, "relating to promotion or advancement," from promotion + -al (1). From 1902 as "relating to advertising."

abbreviation of advertisement, attested by 1841. Long resisted by those in the trade, and according to Mencken (1945) denounced by William C. D'Arcy (president of Associated Advertising Clubs of the World) as "the language of bootblacks, ... beneath the dignity of men of the advertising profession."

impactful (adj.)

1961, originally in advertising, from impact (n.) + -ful. Related: Impactfully; impactfulness.

promo (n.)

"a promotional advertisement," 1958 (in Billboard magazine headlines), shortening of promotion in the sense "advertising, publicity."

adware (n.)

2000 (earlier as the name of a software company), "software that automatically displays or downloads advertising," from ad (n.) + -ware, abstracted from software, etc.

eye-catching (adj.)

1799, from eye (n.) + present participle of catch (v.). Eye-catcher (n.) is from 1882, first in advertising; eye-trap (n.) is attested from 1785.

escalator (n.)

1900, American English, trade name of an Otis Elevator Co. moving staircase, coined from escalade + -ator in elevator. Figurative use is from 1927 (in advertising).

payola (n.)

"graft" (especially to disc jockeys from record companies to play their music), 1938 (in a Variety magazine headline), from pay off "bribery" (underworld slang from 1930) + ending from Victrola, etc. (see Pianola). Compare also plugola "surreptitious promotion of a person or product for a bribe" (1959), from plug (n.) in the advertising sense.

sell (n.)

1838, "a hoax or planned deception by which a victim is 'taken in,' " from sell (v.). The sense of "advertising technique" is attested by 1952 in the phrase hard sell.

economy (adj.)

1821 as a term in advertising, at first meant simply "cheaper," then "bigger and thus cheaper per unit or amount" (1950). See economy (n.).

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