Propaganda is information, often biased or misleading, spread to influence people’s opinions or actions, especially in politics.
From New Latin *Congregatio de Propaganda Fide* 'Congregation for Propagating the Faith', a Catholic church office created in 1622. The word comes from Latin *propagare* 'to spread, extend'.
Propaganda began as a church word for spreading faith, not lies. Over time, people noticed how powerful 'spreading' information could be, and the word shifted from holy mission to a warning sign.
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