Promoter

How to spell promoter

8 letters · 3 syllables

How to pronounce promoter

Say the part in capitals loudest.

What does promoter mean?

1. nounA person who organises, finances, or publicises an event, performer, or business venture.

Promoter in a sentence

• The boxing promoter booked the arena for the title fight.

• The concert promoter refunded every ticket after the cancellation.

Where does promoter come from?

Language of origin: Latin

This word traces back to the Latin verb promovere, which literally meant 'to move forward' or 'to push ahead', formed from pro 'forward' and movere 'to move'. The past participle stem promot- gave English the verb 'promote', and adding the agent ending '-er' produced 'promoter', meaning one who advances or pushes something forward. English took the verb from Latin (partly by way of Old French) in the late 1300s, and the agent noun followed soon after for a person who furthers a cause or an enterprise. Over the centuries the sense narrowed in commercial and entertainment use to someone who organises and publicises events, fights, or business ventures. The same movere root sits inside everyday relatives such as 'motion', 'remove', and 'motor', which is a useful reminder that the middle of the word is spelled 'mot', not 'mote'.

How the word is built

• pro- (forward)
• mot (move, from Latin movere 'to move')
• -er (agent suffix: one who does)