What does divulgation mean?
"Divulgation" is a formal noun denoting the act of revealing or making known something that had been kept private or secret — a disclosure, in short. It derives ultimately from the Latin verb "divulgare", formed from "di-" (thoroughly) and "vulgus" (the common people), so that to divulge something was originally to spread it among the general populace. In modern English the word is uncommon and distinctly elevated in register, appearing chiefly in legal, academic, and literary contexts where writers deliberately seek a weightier synonym for "disclosure" or "revelation". Its natural opposites include concealment, secrecy, and suppression. Readers should note that "divulgation" should not be confused with "divagation", which refers to wandering off a subject. Though rare, it remains a legitimate and precise choice for describing the deliberate release of confidential information into the public domain.
The act of disclosing or making publicly known something previously private or secret.
"The treaty's divulgation before ratification would have been a serious breach of protocol."
Chiefly formal or literary; prefer "disclosure" in ordinary contexts.
Information that has been disclosed; something revealed to the public.
"Each new divulgation from the inquiry deepened the scandal."
The plural is rare, used when referring to multiple separate acts or instances of disclosure.
"The memoir's successive divulgations kept the press occupied for months."
Despite sounding like legal jargon, "divulgation" is a close cousin of the word "vulgar" — both trace back to the Latin "vulgus", meaning "the common people": to divulg something was literally to make it known among the crowd.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of divulgation
"Divulgation" entered English from Latin "divulgatio", the noun of action from "divulgare", meaning "to publish or make commonly known". The Latin verb combines "di-" (a variant of "dis-", indicating thoroughness) with "vulgus", "the common people", the same root that gives English "vulgar", "vulgarity", and the "Vulgate" Bible. The word has been part of English since at least the early modern period but never achieved the everyday currency of its Romance-language counterparts, remaining a learned, formal term throughout its history.
Related word forms
How divulgation is actually used
"Divulgation" is formal, literary, and somewhat archaic in tone; in everyday English, "disclosure" or "revelation" are strongly preferred. It appears most often in legal, historical, or academic prose, and is more frequently encountered in Romance languages such as French and Spanish than in modern English usage.
Easily confused with divulgation
"Divagation" means wandering or straying from a subject or course, whereas "divulgation" means the disclosure of secret information.