What does notify mean?
To notify means to tell someone about something, usually in a deliberate and formal way. The word is particularly common when an organization, authority, or professional must communicate information that may require attention or action, as in notifying employees of a policy change or notifying police of suspicious activity. It can also have the broader sense of making someone aware, although that use is less typical than the formal one. Notify is often followed by 'of' before the subject of the information: 'notify applicants of the decision.' Compared with the everyday verb 'tell,' notify sounds more official and purposeful. It is useful in contexts such as business, law, government, safety, and administration, where clarity and an official record matter.
verbTo inform someone officially or formally that something has happened or that they need to take action. It can also mean to make someone aware of a fact, event, or change.
- To inform someone officially or formally, especially by sending a notice.
- To make someone aware of a fact, event, or change.
- To give someone warning or instruction that action may be required.
"Please notify the authorities if you observe any unusual activity."
"The company notified employees of the change in working hours."
"A text message can notify you that your appointment has been confirmed."
To notify is to send information with purpose: a formal signal that someone should know, act, or respond.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does notify come from?
Notify comes through Old French notifier from the Latin notificare, formed from notus, meaning 'known,' and ficare, meaning 'to make' or 'render.' The sense 'to make known' developed in English during the early 16th century. Related English words include notice, notification, and notable, all of which reflect the same Latin root.
Related word forms
How notify is actually used
Notify has a formal or professional tone and is common in official notices, administration, and legal or institutional contexts. It usually takes a person as its object and often takes a phrase beginning with 'of' to state what is being communicated: 'notify staff of the policy change.' In everyday speech, 'tell' is more informal and direct.
Easily confused with notify
Notify is primarily an action of telling someone, whereas notice can mean either observing something or a formal announcement or warning.