ENGLISH
REFERENCE

PSA

n. countable
B2 Upper Intermediate psa Archaic

n. Stands for Public Service Announcement. A message for the public that gives important information or advice. It is usually shown on TV, radio, or social media to help people stay safe or healthy.

n. Abbreviation for Public Service Announcement. A message disseminated by the media without charge, with the objective of raising awareness or changing public attitudes and behavior towards a social issue.


SIMPLE

The government released a PSA about the importance of washing your hands.

CONTEXTUAL

Local news stations aired a PSA to warn residents about the upcoming heatwave and where to find cooling centers.

COMPLEX

While early PSAs often relied on fear-based messaging to discourage dangerous habits, modern campaigns tend to focus on empowering the audience with actionable steps and positive reinforcement.

Etymology 1

English initialisms.

Etymology 2

From French PSA, initialism of Peugeot S.A. (société anonyme (“public limited company”)).

Usage

Commonly used as an abbreviation for 'Public Service Announcement'; often functions as the head of a noun phrase.

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