Definition of DISSEMINATE

Other Words from disseminate

dissemination \ di-ˌse-mə-ˈnā-shən

\ noun

disseminator \ -ˈse-mə-ˌnā-tər

\ noun

Disseminating Information on Disseminate

While the object of the verb disseminate may be something tangible, such as an infectious agent, nowadays the thing most often disseminated, or "spread abroad as though sowing seed," is information. Where does this metaphorical verb come from? In Latin, the dis- prefix signifies separation or dispersal, while the -sem- element springs from semen "seed." The same Latin noun is found in a number of other English words with figurative meanings: seminary (which now is a training facility for priests, but initially was a place where seeds were raised to plants), seminal (meaning "containing the seeds of later development"), and yes, the word semen.

Examples of disseminate in a Sentence

He told me that as Commanding General [General David Petraeus] he believes he should not only direct battlefield action but also disseminate a few easy-to-grasp concepts about the war's prosecution, which subordinate officers can then interpret on their own. — Steve Coll, New Yorker, 8 Sept. 2008 Jefferson helped found and back a friendly newspaper, the National Gazette, to help disseminate his views. — Walter Kim, Time, 5 July 2004 In this case, the filmmakers did not prevent information from being disseminated. And they have no greater moral obligation than do the highly paid Tom Brokaw or Dan Rather to help a TV network keep down its costs. — Randy Cohen, New York Times Magazine, 7 Oct. 2001 Although possession of virus software and source code is not illegal, many of the existing state and federal computer intrusion and unauthorized access laws already make it illegal to introduce a virus into someone's system intentionally. Robert Morris's conviction … shows how the existing laws might be used to punish those involved with disseminating viruses. — Edward A. Cavazos et al., Cyberspace And The Law, 1994 The Internet allows us to disseminate information faster. The findings were widely disseminated.

Recent Examples on the Web

But the two reports show the trolls used multiple websites to disseminate their narratives. — Alex Ward, Vox, "4 main takeaways from new reports on Russia’s 2016 election interference," 17 Dec. 2018 But in April, the federal agency reversed course, agreeing to a settlement that would have allowed Wilson’s firm to disseminate the plans. — Lewis Kamb, The Seattle Times, "3D-printed guns: Federal judge in Seattle frustrated over case, could make decision by Monday," 21 Aug. 2018 Between 2014 and 2015, researchers studied 5,300 flight attendants through surveys that were disseminated online, via mail and in person at airports. — Brigit Katz, Smithsonian, "Flight Attendants May Face Increased Risk for Many Cancers, Study Finds," 27 June 2018 Reed was charged with three counts of rape and abuse of a child, and one count each of enticement of a child under 16, disseminating harmful matter to minors, and possession of child pornography, the statement said. — Elise Takahama And Laney Ruckstuhl, BostonGlobe.com, "Newburyport man to be arraigned on charges of raping a child under 16 years old," 23 Apr. 2018 The shooting Saturday was the second act of hatred in recent days to expose the way social-media services can be platforms for dangerous people to disseminate threats and intolerance that publicly foreshadow their violence. — Georgia Wells, WSJ, "Gab.com Founder Defends Site After Shooting," 28 Oct. 2018 Indeed there is little about the black experience in the information the group disseminates. — Shaun Assael, Glamour, "The Secret Fight to Save Confederate Monuments," 16 Aug. 2018 Right-wing outlets (and the president) gleefully pounced on the mistake, those who had disseminated the photos dutifully corrected the record, and everyone moved on. — Benjamin Hart, Daily Intelligencer, "Trump’s Draconian Immigration Policies Highlight Obama’s Missteps," 20 June 2018 Virtually overnight, the social media giant provided a way to accelerate the spread of incendiary conspiracies and anti-Muslim vitriol that Buddhist nationalists previously disseminated through pamphlets or CDs. — Laignee Barron, Time, "Could Facebook Have Helped Stop the Spread of Hate in Myanmar?," 6 Apr. 2018

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