Promote: Move Up, or Push Forward
To promote is to raise someone in rank, or to publicise something. In sport it means moving to a higher division.
To promote is to move something or someone forward. That covers three familiar senses: raising an employee in rank, publicising a product, and in league sport, moving a team up a division — the opposite of relegation. All three come from Latin *promovere*, to move forward.
- To raise in rank. *She was promoted to manager.*
- To publicise. *Promote the album.*
- To encourage. *Measures to promote recycling.*
- To move up a division. *The club was promoted.*
Word forms
| Form | Word | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Verb | promote | Promote the event. |
| Past | promoted | Promoted last year. |
| Noun | promotion | A well-earned promotion. |
| Person | promoter | A boxing promoter. |
| Adjective | promotional | Promotional material. |
How it is used in a sentence
- He was promoted over more senior colleagues.Workplace.
- The tour promotes the new record.Marketing.
- Two clubs go up and three come down.Promotion and relegation.
Promotion in different fields
- Employment — a rise in rank or grade
- Marketing — publicity for a product
- Sport — moving to a higher league
- Chess — a pawn reaching the last rank becomes another piece
- Health promotion — encouraging healthier behaviour
From Latin *promovere*, to move forward, from *pro* and *movere*, to move — the same verb as in *motion*, *remove* and *emotion*.
What is promotion in chess?
When a pawn reaches the far rank it is exchanged for another piece, almost always a queen.
Promote or advertise?
Advertising is paid announcement. Promotion is broader and includes publicity, events, discounts and sponsorship.