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broadcast

v. · n. · adj. · adv.
US //ˈbɹɔdˌkæst// UK //bɹˈɔːdkɑːst// broad·cast
Irregular verb past broadcast past participle broadcast
  1. 1 to transmit media (v.)
    B1 Intermediate

    to send out a programme on television, radio, or the internet.

    to transmit audio or video content via radio waves or digital signals to a broad audience.

    Example

    The BBC will broadcast the concert live to millions of people tonight.

    Example

    The network plans to broadcast the documentary series simultaneously across its digital platforms and traditional cable channels to maximise viewership.

    Usage

    The past tense is usually 'broadcast', though 'broadcasted' is increasingly common in informal speech.
    Pitfall
    The news was broadcasted at six.
    The news was broadcast at six.

    While 'broadcasted' is sometimes used, 'broadcast' is the standard past tense and past participle form in most contexts.

  2. 2 to spread information (v.)
    B2 Upper Intermediate

    to tell something to a lot of people, especially a secret.

    to make information widely known; to disseminate news or gossip extensively.

    Example

    You shouldn't broadcast your private problems on social media.

    Example

    The company chose not to broadcast the merger details until the legal contracts were officially signed by both parties.
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  1. 3 to sow seeds (v.)
    C2 Proficiency Technical Cooking

    to scatter seeds over a wide area of ground.

    to sow seeds by scattering them broadly over the surface of the soil rather than in discrete rows.

    Example

    The farmer used a machine to broadcast the grass seed across the field.

    Example

    Before the invention of the seed drill, farmers would broadcast grain by hand, leading to uneven crop distribution and significant waste.

    Teacher's tip

    This is the original literal meaning of the word, though it is now mostly restricted to agricultural and horticultural contexts.
  2. 4 a programme (n.)
    B1 Intermediate

    a single radio or television programme.

    a specific transmission or programme on radio or television.

    Example

    I missed the evening broadcast because I was working late.

    Example

    The emergency broadcast interrupted regular programming to provide citizens with vital information regarding the approaching storm.
  3. 5 relating to media (adj.)
    B2 Upper Intermediate

    relating to the business of making radio or television programmes.

    pertaining to the transmission of signals or the industry of radio and television production.

    Example

    She is looking for a job in broadcast journalism.

    Example

    The candidate's extensive background in broadcast media gave her a distinct advantage during the televised debates.
  4. 6 widely scattered (adv.)
    C2 Proficiency Literary

    spread out in many directions over a large area.

    in a manner that scatters or spreads things widely in all directions.

    Example

    The seeds were flung broadcast across the meadow.

    Example

    The news of the uprising was spread broadcast throughout the colonies, igniting a spirit of rebellion in even the most remote settlements.
Origin

Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *bʰer-der.? Proto-Germanic *braidaz Proto-West Germanic *braid Old English brād Middle English brod English broad Proto-Germanic *kas- Proto-Germanic *kastōną Old Norse kastabor. Middle English casten English cast English broadcast From broad + cast. First attested in the mid 18th century, in the agricultural use of spreading seeds.

Word family

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