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

The city manager for Muleshoe, Ramon Sanchez, reportedly said in a public meeting that the attack on the town’s utility had resulted in one water tank overflowing. —Andy Greenberg, WIRED, 17 Apr. 2024

The projects have been blocked without holding public meetings to inform applicants why funding was denied. —Laura Schulte, Journal Sentinel, 17 Apr. 2024

It was purchased by a private company called Permira in early 2014, and the business went public in 2021. —Anne D'innocenzio, Fortune Europe, 17 Apr. 2024

In Grants Pass, that has meant tents, tarps and other belongings dot parks while public benches and picnic tables are often used for sleeping. —Claire Thornton, USA TODAY, 17 Apr. 2024

The proposals were laid out by People Acting for Community Together, or PACT, a nonprofit interfaith group made up of some 40 churches, synagogues and mosques in Miami-Dade that each year presses public officials to embrace their plans to dealing with some of Miami’s most urgent social problems. —Lauren Costantino, Miami Herald, 17 Apr. 2024

President Biden's handling of the situation at the U.S.-Mexico border remains a weak spot politically for him, according to recent public opinion polls. —Deirdre Walsh, NPR, 17 Apr. 2024

Overall construction is expected to cost $18.4 million and include a community garden, a public space and 39 parking sports for tenants. —Stephanie Lam, The Mercury News, 17 Apr. 2024

The company, which launched its first public offering last month, aims to open up an asset class to fans and other investors that previously was only available to the wealthiest investors. —Elizabeth Dilts Marshall, Billboard, 17 Apr. 2024

Noun

This has been the Israeli public’s rallying cry since Oct. 7, when Hamas militants killed some 1,200 people and took 240 more hostage into Gaza. —Yasmeen Serhan, TIME, 17 Apr. 2024

As brick-and-mortar shops can attest, there is a newfound hunger for physical media from a public that’s grown weary of digital media. —Ron Hart, SPIN, 17 Apr. 2024

The moviegoing public ensured that The Public Enemy’s box office outdid even Little Caesar. —Maureen Lee Lenker, EW.com, 17 Apr. 2024

Investors holding shares in the pre-merger company that took Truth Social public could eventually convert those holdings into shares of Truth Social, the filing said. —Max Zahn, ABC News, 16 Apr. 2024

These releases are our family’s gift to you, her public, for being there for all of us for the past 40 years. —Jessica Nicholson, Billboard, 16 Apr. 2024

With a bold new leadership that recognizes the failure of policies advanced by the hard right, and with the support of the Israeli public and the country’s friends around the world, Israel may finally be able to climb out of its grief and agony and reach for a sustainable political settlement. —Ami Ayalon, Foreign Affairs, 11 Apr. 2024

His American wife Meghan is disliked by even more of the British public, with 65% having a negative view of her. —Martha Ross, The Mercury News, 9 Apr. 2024

Both men believe the Koreas will reunify, and that preparations must begin now, by studying North Korea’s internal changes carefully and preparing the South Korean public in its views of North Korea and its people. —Michelle Lee, Washington Post, 5 Apr. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Adjective

Middle English publique, from Anglo-French, from Latin publicus; akin to Latin populus people

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 opinion
• 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