-shə(r) noun
( -s )
Etymology: Middle English, from publishen + -er
1.
a. archaic : one that makes public : announcer , proclaimer ; specifically : town crier
b. : a member of Jehovah's Witnesses who is expected to devote at least 60 hours of his time each month to the propagation of his faith on a house-to-house visitation basis
2.
a. : the reproducer of a work intended for public consumption
found it impossible to trace the publisher of the underground pamphlet
b.
(1) : one whose business is publishing
textbook publisher
greeting-card publisher
two new record publishers have recently become active — Edward Sackville-West & Desmond Shawe-Taylor
specifically : the owner and operator of a publishing firm
editorials tend to reflect the views of the publisher
(2) Britain : a newspaper circulation manager