semipublic

adjective

semi·​pub·​lic ˌse-mē-ˈpə-blik How to pronounce semipublic (audio)
ˌse-ˌmī-,
-mi-
1
: open to some persons outside the regular constituency
2
: having some features of a public institution
specifically : maintained as a public service by a private nonprofit organization

Examples of semipublic in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
The Dawn of Semipublic Schools Parents who are forking over hefty sums so that their children can attend a private school will likely soon find their schools are semipublic institutions subsidized by federal school choice dollars — and more expensive in the bargain. Marie Sapirie, Forbes.com, 25 Aug. 2025 Those gift tables are notorious for losing cards and, in semipublic places, even losing packages. Jacobina Martin, Washington Post, 13 Feb. 2023 Stadiums, universities, and other public and semipublic assets also came up for discussion as part of what the Times described as asset gerrymandering: the distribution of economically productive institutions within legislative maps. Matt Ford, The New Republic, 14 Oct. 2022 Even this semipublic glimpse of Seid was rare. Andrew Perez, ProPublica, 22 Aug. 2022 Instagram’s Close Friends toes the privacy line by offering users a safe, semipublic space of their own creation. Jennifer Miller, The Atlantic, 12 Aug. 2022 Isao Tokoro, an emeritus professor at Kyoto Sangyo University and expert on imperial family history, said that by rejecting the money and formalities, Mako was turning her back on the family and the semipublic role adopted by some former royals. Peter Landers, WSJ, 1 Oct. 2021 Another golf course, a semipublic course established just south of Calumet Country Club where Homewood’s Governor’s Park subdivision now sits, didn’t survive either, but the others — Ravisloe, Flossmoor, Idlewild and of course Olympia Fields — remain golfing destinations. Paul Eisenberg, chicagotribune.com, 30 Aug. 2020

Word History

First Known Use

1804, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of semipublic was in 1804

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Cite this Entry

“Semipublic.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/semipublic. Accessed 10 Sep. 2025.

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