public health

noun

: the art and science dealing with the protection and improvement of community health by organized community effort and including preventive medicine and sanitary and social science

Examples of public health in a Sentence

a disease that poses a serious threat to public health

She got her degree in public health.

Public health officials warned of an influenza outbreak.

Recent Examples on the Web

Her position as the face of the DeWine administration’s aggressive stance against the coronavirus also earned Acton many enemies, among them statehouse Republicans and conservative Ohioans who opposed pandemic public health restrictions. — Gary Fields, Los Angeles Times, 7 Sep. 2026

The program provides pathways toward healthcare administration, nursing, public health, and other careers. — Andis Robeznieks, Chicago Tribune, 7 Sep. 2026

Before that, parents, physicians and public health experts traveled to Panama City Beach for a Department of Health workshop in December. — Kas Miller, Sun Sentinel, 7 Sep. 2026

Kelly Rogers Victor, PhD, MPH, MPP is a writer and consultant on nutrition, health policy and public health. — Kelly Rogers Victor, USA Today, 6 Sep. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1617, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for public health

• commonwealth
• telehealth
• bridewealth
• stealth
• wealth

Medical Definition

public health

noun

pub·​lic health ˌpəb-lik- 

: the art and science dealing with the protection and improvement of community health by organized community effort and including preventive medicine and sanitary and social science