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.
But its lawmakers said these products needed regulation for the interest of public health and safety. Gina Lee Castro, jsonline.com, 3 Oct. 2025 The ordinance was intended to keep streets, parks and other property sanitary and minimize public health and safety hazards, according to board documents. Sofi Zeman october 3, Kansas City Star, 3 Oct. 2025 Ratner said the outbreaks should act as a public health warning system, signaling that other diseases could follow. Suhail Bhat, USA Today, 2 Oct. 2025 Traces of the mpox virus have been found in US wastewater, and hurricane season threatens public health in coastal US cities. Jacqueline Howard, CNN Money, 2 Oct. 2025 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

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Cite this Entry

“Public health.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/public%20health. Accessed 5 Oct. 2025.

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
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