public school

noun

1

: an endowed secondary boarding school in Great Britain offering a classical curriculum and preparation for the universities or public service

2

: a free tax-supported school controlled by a local governmental authority

Examples of public school in a Sentence

Both of their sons attend public school.

Recent Examples on the Web

The site of what was once a public school is now an apartment building with affordable housing for seniors. —Chris Higgins, Kansas City Star, 11 Nov. 2025

And public schools in the state are legally required to observe it. —Hope Karnopp, jsonline.com, 11 Nov. 2025

Veterans Day is a state-level holiday in almost every part of the country (Wisconsin is an exception), so your local DMV and public schools will most likely be closed for the day. —Gordon Ebanks, CNN Money, 11 Nov. 2025

When disaster strikes, public school buildings are integral as safe havens in hundreds of predominantly Indigenous villages scattered across Alaska's vast landscape. —Emily Schwing, NPR, 10 Nov. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1548, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for public school

• minuscule
• molecule
• overrule
• poiseuille
• reticule
• ridicule
• vestibule
• ampoule
• bascule
• carpool
• cesspool
• ferrule

Kids Definition

public school

noun

1

: a British private school that gives a liberal education and prepares students for the universities

2

: an elementary or secondary school supported by taxes and operated by a local government