publicité
/py.bli.si.te/feminine
The French word for the English noun 'commercial' (an advertisement in a common media format) is publicité.
In the context of media, publicité refers specifically to a single commercial or an advertisement. While it can also refer to the general concept of publicity,
Meaning: advertisement in a common media format (noun)
Which one should you use?
While publicité is the standard term for an advertisement, it can also mean the broader concept of publicity. In media contexts, however, it is used to mean a single commercial.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
publicité is a feminine noun.
How do you pronounce it?
The word has 4 syllables: /py.bli.si.te/.
Did you know?
- The word publicité is used in French legal contexts to refer to the official registration of a deed or contract in a public registry.
- In everyday spoken French, people often shorten publicité to just pub.
- The word publicité is derived from the Medieval Latin pūblicitātem, which combined the word for 'public' with a noun-forming suffix.
Examples in context
- Ils regardent la publicité.They're watching the commercial.This sentence is useful for showing the use of publicité in the context of watching media.Tatoeba #12311898 by Rovo, translation #8409369 by Amastan
- J'adore cette publicité.I love that commercial.This sentence shows how to express a preference for a specific publicité.Tatoeba #7413 by Bruno, translation #252926 by CK
- La restauration rapide provoque-t-elle une épidémie d'obésité ? Nous reviendrons pour parler de ce sujet après cette publicité McDonald's.Is fast food causing an obesity epidemic? More about that after this McDonald's commercial.This sentence demonstrates how publicité is used when referring to a commercial within a broadcast.Tatoeba #10162902 by carlosalberto, translation #10115158 by espamatics
- Il a créé une annonce publicitaire percutanteHe created a powerful commercial
- J'ai vu une pub amusante à la téléI saw a funny commercial on TV
- Les spots publicitaires sont souvent très créatifsCommercial spots are often very creative
- As-tu vu la dernière pub pour ce nouveau produit ?Did you see the latest commercial for this new product?
- 1 more sentence on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Emma and Gabriel are watching television at home.
- GabrielCette publicité est vraiment drôle.This commercial is really funny.
- EmmaOui, elle est très originale.Yes, it is very original.
- GabrielOn peut regarder le film maintenant ?Can we watch the movie now?
- EmmaD'accord, la publicité est finie.Okay, the commercial is over.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “commercial” translations and entries publicité, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries publicité, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.