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public land
noun
: land owned by a government
specifically
: that part of the U.S. public domain subject to sale or disposal under the homestead laws
Examples of public land in a Sentence
the management of public lands
The government will auction off 20 parcels of public land.
Recent Examples on the Web
Hudbay’s original plan was a stretch of a law that generally favors mineral production on public lands, said Heidi McIntosh, an attorney with the nonprofit environmental law firm Earthjustice who argued and won on the tribes’ behalf.
—Brandon Loomis, The Arizona Republic, 19 Dec. 2024
About an hour east of here, miles of flat, black solar panels and bulky white battery storage facilities sprout alongside the Interstate 10 freeway, and more could be coming on public lands here and across the West.
—Janet Wilson, USA TODAY, 19 Dec. 2024
Huffman will lead House Democrats' opposition to the Trump administration's public lands policy and become a top voice in the permitting debate.
—Nick Sobczyk, Axios, 17 Dec. 2024
About 90 percent of the Appalachian Trail and PCT are located on public land.
—Mary Andino, Outside Online, 7 Dec. 2024
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Word History
First Known Use
1789, in the meaning defined above
Dictionary Entries Near public land
Cite this Entry
“Public land.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/public%20land. Accessed 26 Dec. 2024.
Legal Definition
public land
noun
: land owned by a government
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