notification

Everyday

1. A message or alert on a phone, tablet or computer telling you that something has happened: a new message, a like, an update. tree →
2. (formal) The act of officially telling someone about something, or the letter that does this. tree →

In the lessons

Very common in children's digital life: phone notifications, app alerts. In online-safety lessons: turning off notifications at bedtime helps sleep; never open notifications from strangers or tap suspicious links. Formal sense: a school notification about a trip, a written notification of a change. Phrases: «get a notification», «turn off notifications», «push notification», «written notification».

Examples

• My tablet keeps pinging with notifications. tree →
• Turn off notifications before you start your homework. tree →
• I got a notification that my game had updated. tree →
• Parents received a notification about the school trip. tree →
• The library sent a notification that my book was overdue. tree →
• She has fifty unread notifications. tree →
• Never tap a notification that asks for your password. tree →

Note

Countable: a notification, notifications. Built from «notify» (y → i + -cation). Everyday short form: «notif» (slang). Too many notifications can distract you; settings let you control them.