public defender

noun

: a lawyer usually holding public office whose duty is to defend accused persons unable to pay for legal assistance

Examples of public defender in a Sentence

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.
Macomb County has a new public defender leading an office of nearly two dozen attorneys providing legal defense and representation to those who cannot afford it in Michigan's third most populous county. Christina Hall, Freep.com, 13 Oct. 2025 About a week later, my public defender, Steve McManus, visited me. Joe Garcia, New Yorker, 12 Oct. 2025 He was represented by the state public defender’s office, which does not comment on criminal cases. Katie Langford, Denver Post, 11 Oct. 2025 Court records show that Schubert is being represented by a public defender. Fernando Cervantes Jr, USA Today, 9 Oct. 2025 See All Example Sentences for public defender

Word History

First Known Use

1822, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of public defender was in 1822

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Public defender.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/public%20defender. Accessed 18 Oct. 2025.

Legal Definition

public defender

noun
: a lawyer usually holding public office who represents criminal defendants unable to pay for legal assistance

More from Merriam-Webster on public defender

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!