promulgation
UK[ˌprɒməlˈɡeɪʃən]US[ˌprɑːməlˈɡeɪʃən]
n
the act of making a new law or decree known officially and publicly.
n
the act of spreading an idea, belief, etc., among many people.
Morpheme Breakdown
pro
mulg
ation
pro
forward
mulg
spread among the people
ation
noun suffix
Etymology
the word 'promulgation' originates from the latin verb prōmulgāre, meaning "to make publicly known, to publish". this verb is a compound of prō- ("forward, publicly") and the less common root mulgēre ("to milk, to bring forth"). the semantic link is metaphorical: just as milking draws out and distributes a substance, promulgation draws out information and distributes it to the public. entering english in the 16th century via french, the term initially referred to the official proclamation of laws and has since broadened to include the active dissemination of any ideas or doctrines.
Analysis
Structure: pro (forward) + mulg (spread among the people) + ation (noun suffix)
- pro: from latin, meaning "forward, forth, publicly".
- mulg: from latin mulgēre, meaning "to milk, to bring forth"; in the compound prōmulgāre, it evolved to mean "to spread among the people".
- ation: from latin -ātiōn-, a suffix forming nouns denoting an action or its result.
Examples
the promulgation of the new regulations caused significant debate in parliament.
his life's work was dedicated to the promulgation of scientific knowledge.
the decree took effect immediately upon its promulgation in the official gazette.