public

1 of 2

adjective

pub·​lic ˈpə-blik 

1

a

: exposed to general view : open

b

: well-known, prominent

c

: perceptible, material

2

a

: of, relating to, or affecting all the people or the whole area of a nation or state

public law

b

: of or relating to a government

c

: of, relating to, or being in the service of the community or nation

3

a

: of or relating to people in general : universal

b

: of, by, for, or directed to the public (see public entry 2 sense 2) : popular

in the public eye

a campaign to raise public awareness of the issue

He's certainly aware that public opinion has soured on him this year …

—Bryan Rolli

4

: of or relating to business or community interests as opposed to private affairs : social

5

: devoted to the general or national welfare : humanitarian

6

a

: accessible to or shared by all members of the community

b

: capitalized in shares that can be freely traded on the open market

—often used with go

7

: supported by public funds and private contributions rather than by income from commercials

public radio

public television

publicness noun

public

2 of 2

noun

plural publics

1

: a place accessible or visible to the public

—usually used in the phrase in public

2

: the people as a whole : populace

3

: a group of people having common interests or characteristics

specifically : the group at which a particular activity or enterprise aims

Synonyms

Adjective

• open

Noun

• folks
• humanity
• humankind
• people
• species
• world

Examples of public in a Sentence

Adjective

Public outrage over the scandal eventually forced him to resign.

The ads are intended to increase public awareness of the risks of smoking.

She was elected to a public office.

He was in Congress for many years but he recently retired from public life.

They decided on a nearby restaurant as a convenient public place to meet.

The government has allowed public access to the documents.

The city council is holding a public meeting.

This will be her first public performance in five years.

Her trial will be public.

Noun

The beach is open to the public.

The general public is in favor of the law.

Members of the public called for the mayor's resignation.

Recent Examples on the Web

Adjective

State of play: More than half of the top 10 headlines from Axios Denver this year focused on public officials or elections. —John Frank, Axios, 20 Dec. 2024

As a public official, Burchett should have known and done better. —David Plazas, The Tennessean, 20 Dec. 2024

Noun

By now Francis' annual Christmas address to the priests, bishops and cardinals who work in the Vatican Curia has become a lesson in humility — and humiliation — as Francis offers a public dressing down of some of the sins in the workplace at the headquarters of the Catholic Church. —CBS News, 21 Dec. 2024

Other spikes in reports of suspicious bags or items happen in the wake of a major incident, such as the 1995 Oklahoma City bombing, when authorities were inundated by reports from the newly vigilant public. —Libor Jany, Los Angeles Times, 20 Dec. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Adjective

Middle English publique, publike, borrowed from Anglo-French, borrowed from Latin pūblicus "of or belonging to the people as a body, authorized by the state, communal, available to all, universal," alteration (by blending with pūbēs "adult male population, group of able-bodied men," perhaps via an adjective derivative *pūbicus) of earlier poplicus, from pop(u)lus "a human community, people, nation" + -icus -ic;1 — more at pubes, people entry 1

Noun

Middle English in publike "in the open, in general view," borrowed from Middle French en publique, borrowed from Latin in pūblicō, from ablative of pūblicum "places accessible to the public," noun derivative from neuter of pūblicus "of the people as a body, public;1"

First Known Use

Adjective

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Noun

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing public

• caught the public imagination
• certified public accountant
• come to public notice
• for the common/public good
• go on public assistance
• go public
• hold (someone) up to (public) ridicule
• initial public offering
• in public
• in the national/public interest
• in the public domain
• in the public eye
• make public
• Members of the public
• notary public
• public access
• public address announcer
• public address system
• public affairs
• public assistance
• public convenience
• public defender
• public domain
• public enemy number one
• public figure
• public health
• public house
• public image
• public-key
• public knowledge
• public land
• public law
• public officer
• public policy
• public property
• public relations
• public sale
• public school
• public sector
• public servant
• public service
• public service announcement
• public-service corporation
• public speaker
• public speaking
• public-spirited
• public square
• public transit
• public transport
• public transportation
• public utility
• public works
• quasi-public
• the court of public/world opinion
• the general public
• the public
• the public domain
• the public purse

Kids Definition

public

1 of 2 adjective

pub·​lic ˈpəb-lik 

1

a

: of, relating to, belonging to, or affecting all the people

public law

b

: provided by the government

public education

c

: relating to or engaged in the service of the community or nation

public life

2

: of or relating to community interests as opposed to private affairs

a radio program in the public interest

3

: devoted to the general welfare

needed leaders with public spirit

4

: open to or shared by all

a public meeting

the public library

5

a

: generally known

the story became public

b

: well-known

a public figure

6

: supported by income from public funds and private contributions rather than by commercials

public television

publicly adverb

public

2 of 2 noun

1

: a place open or visible to people

seen in public

2

: the people as a whole

a lecture open to the public

3

: a particular group of people

a writer's public

Etymology

Adjective

Middle English publique "relating to the people as a whole, public," from early French publique (same meaning), from Latin publicus "belonging to the people as a whole," from populus "the people" — related to popular, republic

Legal Definition

public

1 of 2 adjective

pub·​lic

1

a

: exposed to general view

public indecency

b

: known or recognized by many or most people

2

a

: of, relating to, or affecting all of the people or the whole area of a nation or state

public statutes

b

: of or relating to a government : authorized by, administered by, or acting for the people as a political entity

public expenditures

the public prosecutor

c

: of, relating to, or being in the service of the community or nation

holding public office

d

: provided for, used by, or containing the records of a government agency

the post office and other public buildings

3

: of or relating to people in general

4

: of or relating to business or community interests as opposed to private affairs

public policy

5

: devoted to the general or national welfare

6

: accessible to or shared by all members of the community

a public hearing

compare private

7

: capitalized in shares that can be freely traded on the open market

—often used with go

publicly adverb

public

2 of 2 noun

1

: a place accessible or visible to the public

—usually used in the phrase in public

2

: the people as a whole