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.
The book examines loneliness as a public health concern and offers suggestions for how people can form more social connections in their lives. Michael T. Nietzel, Forbes.com, 1 July 2025 It’s since been hailed as one of the great public health victories of the 20th century. Kairi Lowery, The Orlando Sentinel, 29 June 2025 That's how public health work gets funded in the U.S. Selena Simmons-Duffin, NPR, 28 June 2025 Among its most urgent concerns were the administration's plans to significantly downsize public health programs for HIV/AIDS prevention as well as Justice Department programs that investigate anti-LGBTQ hate crimes, in addition to sweeping cuts to resources for the trans community. Emily Mae Czachor, CBS News, 28 June 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 6 Jul. 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

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