privacy, debate, public, audience, campaign: meanings and examples

Learn these 5 words from Intermediate set 49. Each entry includes a definition, example sentence, pronunciation, and synonyms. Use the interactive cards above to practice them.

1. privacy · noun /ˈpraɪvəsi/

   the state of being free from unwanted attention or access to personal information

   In the morning show, the doctor omitted his patient's surname to protect her privacy when he talked about her depression.

   Synonyms: secrecy

2. debate · noun /dəˈbeɪt/

   a formal discussion

   The news about the use of animals in the research and development of cosmetics has created a widespread public debate.

   Synonyms: argument, dispute

   Origin: Middle English: via Old French from Latin dis- (expressing reversal) + battere ‘to fight’

3. public · adjective/ˈpəblɪk/

   relating to people in general or open for everyone to use or know about

   Some of you may not think of these acts as crimes, but many have received a lot of public attention thanks to the media coverage.

   Synonyms: society, community

   Origin: late Middle English: from Old French, from Latin publicus, blend of poplicus ‘of the people’ (from populus ‘people’) and pubes ‘adult’

4. audience · noun/ˈɔdiəns/

   the group of people who watch, listen to, or read something

   As the singer finished her final song, the audience stood up and applauded loudly.

   Synonyms: viewers, listeners, spectators

   Origin: late Middle English: from Old French, from Latin audientia, from audire ‘hear’

5. campaign · noun/kæmˈpeɪn/

   a series of planned activities intended to achieve a particular social, political, or business goal

   The city launched a public campaign to encourage people to use less plastic.

   Synonyms: movement, operation

   Origin: early 17th century (denoting a tract of open country): from French campagne ‘open country’, via Italian from late Latin campania, from campus ‘level ground’ (see camp). The change in sense to ‘a series of military operations’ arose from an army's practice of ‘taking the field’ (i.e. moving from a fortress or town to open country) at the onset of summer