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
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.
When cities embed movement into daily life, through accessible parks, clean waterways, shaded paths, and community facilities, sports participation rises, emissions fall, public health costs drop, and communities become more attractive for events and tourism. Sebastian Buckup, Time, 7 Feb. 2026 The Carson City Council eventually declared a public health nuisance in October 2021. Andrew J. Campa, Los Angeles Times, 7 Feb. 2026 The city’s public health advisory panel on Wednesday approved a rubric that will help the city determine how to distribute nearly $17 million in cuts to social service contracts in its next budget. Chaya Tong, Austin American Statesman, 6 Feb. 2026 Another invisible threat to the lake and public health is microplastics. Theodore J. Karamanski, Chicago Tribune, 6 Feb. 2026 See All Example Sentences for public health

Word History

First Known Use

1617, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of public health was in 1617

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Public health.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/public%20health. Accessed 11 Feb. 2026.

Medical Definition

public health

noun
pub·​lic health ˌpəb-lik- How to pronounce public health (audio)
: 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

More from Merriam-Webster on public health

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster