Publicist

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A professional tasked with managing the visibility and reputation of individuals or entities through media relations and communications strategies
2. A person who specializes in generating media attention and managing communications for clients to enhance their public image and awareness
3. An expert in promoting individuals or organizations by crafting press releases and establishing connections with the media to improve visibility

Etymology: "Publicist" is one of those words whose English sense has drifted from its French source. In French, a "publiciste" was originally a writer on public law and the state, someone who studied the rights and affairs of the public realm rather than someone who worked to attract attention. The English word was borrowed from that French term, and it kept the older idea of a commentator on public affairs for a time before the modern meaning took hold. The modern sense of the word, a person hired to generate favourable publicity, grew out of the older form, since the "public" at its root was always about the general audience. The English term is built from "public" plus the suffix "-ist," meaning someone who practises or specialises in a particular activity, so a publicist is literally a specialist in matters of the public.

Synonyms: press agent, PR agent, spokesperson, media representative, promoter