/ ədˈvɜːtɪsmənt; NAmE ˌædvərˈtaɪz-/ noun
1.
[ C ] (also informal ad ) ( BrE also ad·vert ) advertisement (for sth) a notice, picture or film telling people about a product, job or service :
Put an advertisement in the local paper to sell your car.
—see also classified advertisements ➡ note at ad
2.
[ C ] ( BrE also ad·vert ) advertisement for sth an example of sth that shows its good qualities :
Dirty streets and homelessness are no advertisement for a prosperous society.
➡ note at ad
3.
[ U ] the act of advertising sth and making it public
➡ note at ad
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WORD ORIGIN
late Middle English (denoting a statement calling attention to something): from Old French advertissement , from the verb advertir from Latin advertere turn towards, from ad- to + vertere to turn.The original sense was turn one's attention to , later bring to someone's attention .