Promulgate

verb (transitive)

/ˈprɒməlɡeɪt/

To make a law, decree, or official policy publicly known by formal announcement; to put it into effect by publication. In India, the President promulgates ordinances under Article 123 when Parliament is not in session; laws are given effect by promulgation in the Official Gazette. The term also applies to rules and regulations notified by ministries under delegated legislative authority.

✍️ Usage in a UPSC answer

The President promulgated the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code (Amendment) Ordinance in 2018 during the Parliamentary recess, later replaced by an Act of Parliament within the constitutionally mandated six-week period from the reassembly of the Houses.

Synonyms

proclaimenactpublishannouncedecreepublicisegazette

Antonyms

suppresswithholdrepealabrogaterescind

🌱 Word Family

promulgation (noun), promulgator (noun), promulgated (adjective), vulgar (cognate adjective), divulge (cognate verb), publish (semantic equivalent)

🔡 Root

Latin promulgare (to make publicly known) ← pro- (forward, publicly) + mulgere or variant of vulgare (to make common, to publish) ← vulgus (the public)

📜 Etymology

From Latin promulgare (to publish abroad), possibly from pro- (forward) and vulgare (to publicise, from vulgus — the common people). Some scholars derive the second element from an Oscan root. First used in English in the 16th century in ecclesiastical and legal contexts for the formal publication of laws.

🧠 Memory Hook

PROMULGATE = PRO (forward/public) + MULGATE (spread among the vulgus/people). To promulgate is to push a law FORWARD to the PUBLIC. Like casting seeds out pro- (forward) to grow in the public domain.

📝 Seen in UPSC Question Papers

Mains 2015 · GS2 · 12.5 marks — Indian Polity

Real UPSC previous-year questions whose text uses “Promulgate” — proof this word earns its place on your list.

⚖️ Polity & Constitution 📖 Seen in: Preamble of the Indian Constitution

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