bulletin

noun bul·le·tin \ ˈbu̇-lə-tᵊn also ˈbə- \

Updated on: 20 Apr 2018

Definition of bulletin

1 : a brief public notice issuing usually from an authoritative source; specifically : a brief news item intended for immediate publication or broadcast

2 : periodical; especially : the organ of an institution or association

See bulletin defined for English-language learners

See bulletin defined for kids

Examples of bulletin in a Sentence

The television program was interrupted for a news bulletin.
picks up a church bulletin every Sunday after Mass

Recent Examples of bulletin from the Web

Once one of them had it in hand, all four ran from the store and escaped on foot, the bulletin said.

— staff report, Naperville Sun, "Downtown Naperville jewelry store robbed Thursday night," 12 Apr. 2018
According to the bulletin, the man did not show a weapon.

— frank vaisvilas, Daily Southtown, "Saint Xavier student carjacked, briefly kidnapped, authorities say," 7 Apr. 2018
McQuirter hopes people will bring baby photos, post cards, T-shirts, fliers, church bulletins, yearbooks, diplomas and anything else from 1968 in Washington.

— john kelly, Washington Post, "For some readers, there’s not much to love about Washington this time of year," 4 Apr. 2018
The bulletin says insurers still can make decisions about whether autism treatment is medically necessary.

— kimberlee kruesi and audrey dutton, idahostatesman, "Health insurers must cover these autism treatments, Idaho says | Idaho Statesman," 2 Apr. 2018
The building is wheelchair accessible and larger print bulletins are available.

— Courant Community, "Community News For The Colchester Edition," 27 Mar. 2018
In his church's bulletin, the pastor described an evening with the family in caring detail: First with Alex at St. Luke's Hospital, where his organs were retrieved.

— eric adler and aaron randle, kansascity, "In death, Shawnee Mission East teen saves life of his pastor's brother | The Kansas City Star," 26 Mar. 2018
This bulletin will be updated as more information becomes available.

— miamiherald, "Driver killed in fiery crash near Don Shula Expressway; head-on shuts major road near I-95 | Miami Herald," 5 Mar. 2018
This is a breaking news bulletin and will be updated.

— chabeli herrera, miamiherald, "One person is dead and two hospitalized after shootings in Overtown and Little Haiti | Miami Herald," 29 Mar. 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'bulletin.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Origin and Etymology of bulletin

French, from Middle French, from bullette seal, notice, diminutive of bulle seal, from Medieval Latin bulla

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 1765

in the meaning defined at sense 1

See Words from the same year

bulletin Synonyms

Synonyms

ad, advertisement, announcement, communiqué, notice, notification, posting, release;

bill, billboard, placard, playbill, poster, show bill, sign;

broadcast, cablecast, newscast, telecast;

advertising, billing, blurb, come-on, commercial, message, pitch, plugola, spot, word;

communication, dispatch, report;

annunciation, declaration, edict, proclamation, promulgation, pronouncement;

ballyhoo, boost, buildup, campaign, plug, promo, promotion, propaganda, publicity;

Other Broadcasting Terms

continuity, dissolve, fade, feed, remote, residual, spike, wipe

bulletin

verb

Definition of bulletin

transitive verb

: to make public by bulletin

First Known Use of bulletin

1812

in the meaning defined above

See Words from the same year

NEW! Time Traveler

BULLETIN Defined for English Language Learners

bulletin

noun

Definition of bulletin for English Language Learners

: a quick announcement from an official source about an important piece of news
: a short piece of writing that an organization publishes to give news about itself