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

One law lets local agencies impose fines of up to $50,000 per violation on companies that threaten public health and safety. — Dakota Smith, Los Angeles Times, 27 Sep. 2026

The exercise duration highlighted in the study also roughly aligns roughly with current public health recommendations, Shah said. — Currie Engel, HEALTH, 27 Sep. 2026

Students also read longform journalism, social science research, public health reports and political philosophy on aspects of loneliness. — Justin Vaughn, Washington Post, 25 Sep. 2026

In 2016, about 6,000 union members were deemed too essential to public health and safety to participate in the threatened walkout, news organization KPBS reported at the time. — Corey Schmidt, Sacbee.com, 25 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