public land

noun

: land owned by a government

specifically : that part of the U.S. public domain subject to sale or disposal under the homestead laws

Examples of public land in a Sentence

the management of public lands

The government will auction off 20 parcels of public land.

Recent Examples on the Web

Outdoor recreation on public lands is more profitable than other land uses. — Paulette Stauffer Henriod, Washington Post, 13 Aug. 2026

Since then, he's continued looking for opportunities to clean up public lands. — Spencer Wilson, CBS News, 12 Aug. 2026

The Central Idaho Dark Sky Reserve spans 906,000 acres, mostly on public lands within Sawtooth National Forest. — Hali Smith, Idaho Statesman, 12 Aug. 2026

Florida is turning an ordinary visit to public land into another government appointment. — Jeffrey T. Donner, The Orlando Sentinel, 9 Aug. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1789, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for public land

• ampersand
• beforehand
• behindhand
• bottomland
• contraband
• countermand
• dixieland
• fairyland
• fatherland
• firebrand
• hinterland
• motherland

Legal Definition

public land

noun

: land owned by a government