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

Latshaw said public health officials often rely on the precautionary principle, reducing potential exposures when feasible even before definitive evidence of harm exists. — Julia Vargas Jones, CNN Money, 20 Sep. 2026

Los Angeles County public health officials this year have documented at least 100 cases of West Nile virus and five deaths linked to the mosquitoes. — Giada Zampano, Los Angeles Times, 19 Sep. 2026

From political leaders and global allies to doctors and public health officials, trust is shaping nearly every major debate in America. — Bill Wachsberger, Baltimore Sun, 19 Sep. 2026

Medical societies and public health experts have denounced these decisions for lacking evidence. — Lauren J. Young, Scientific American, 18 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