Definition of readership

The word "readership" has its roots in Old English and Middle English. The earliest known use of the term is traced back to the 14th century, when it referred to the act of reading aloud. During the Middle English period, the term "reader" was used to describe someone who read out loud to others, often in a monastic or educational setting. Over time, the term "readership" emerged to describe the people being read to, rather than the act of reading itself. By the 16th century, "readership" referred to the audience or group of people who would gather to listen to a reader recite or perform texts. In modern English, "readership" is often used to describe the audience or demographics of a publication, such as a newspaper or magazine, or to refer to the people who read and consume written content.