public

[ puhb-lik ]

adjective

1. of, relating to, or affecting a population or a community as a whole:

   public funds;

   a public nuisance.

2. done, made, acting, etc., for the community as a whole:

   public prosecution.

3. open to all persons:

   a public meeting.

4. of, relating to, or being in the service of a community or nation, especially as a government officer:

   a public official.

5. maintained at the public expense and under public control:

   a public library;

   a public road.

6. generally known:

   The fact became public.

7. familiar to the public; prominent:

   public figures.

8. open to the view of all; existing or conducted in public:

   a public dispute.

9. pertaining or devoted to the welfare or well-being of the community:

   public spirit.

10. of or relating to all humankind; universal.

noun

1. the people constituting a community, state, or nation.
2. a particular group of people with a common interest, aim, etc.:

   the book-buying public.

3. British Informal. a tavern; public house.

public

/ ˈpʌblɪk /

adjective

1. of, relating to, or concerning the people as a whole
2. open or accessible to all

   public gardens

3. performed or made openly or in the view of all

   public proclamation

4. prenominal well-known or familiar to people in general

   a public figure

5. usually prenominal maintained at the expense of, serving, or for the use of a community

   a public library

6. open, acknowledged, or notorious

   a public scandal

7. go public
   1. (of a private company) to issue shares for subscription by the public
   2. to reveal publicly hitherto confidential information

noun

1. the community or people in general
2. a part or section of the community grouped because of a common interest, activity, etc

   the racing public

Other Words From

• non·public adjective
• quasi-public adjective
• quasi-public·ly adverb
• un·public adjective
• un·public·ly adverb

Word History and Origins

Origin of public¹

First recorded in 1400–50; from Latin pūblicus, earlier pōblicus, pōplicus (spelling influenced by pūbēs “adulthood”; pubes ), ultimately from popul(us) people + -icus -ic; replacing late Middle English publique, from Middle French, from Latin, as above

Word History and Origins

Origin of public¹

C15: from Latin pūblicus, changed from pōplicus of the people, from populus people

Idioms and Phrases

Idioms

1. go public,
   1. to issue stock for sale to the general public.
   2. to present private or previously concealed information, news, etc., to the public; make matters open to public view:

      The senator threatened to go public with his congressional-reform plan.

2. in public, not in private; in a situation open to public view or access; publicly:

   It was the first time that she had sung in public.

3. make public, to cause to become known generally, as through the news media:

   Her resignation was made public this morning.

More idioms and phrases containing public

see go public ; in public ; in the public eye ; John Doe (Q. Public) ; wash one's dirty linen in public .

Example Sentences

“As abortion bans strip away access, the need for abortion care continues,” said Alison Norris, MD, PhD, #WeCount Co-Chair and professor at The Ohio State University’s College of Public Health and co-principal investigator of the Ohio Policy Evaluation Network.

From Salon

Let’s also be real here: Elon will probably hold much of the authority, as he is just too much of an egomaniac to cede any public control.

From Slate

Cabinet Secretary Simon Case, the UK's most senior civil servant, told ministers last month they should "exercise discretion and should not take part in the public debate".

From BBC

But Streeting’s view became public after he told a large, notionally private, meeting of Labour MPs what he thought.

From BBC

"As a public official, I take no position on Brexit per se," he will say.

From BBC

Related Words

• civic
• civil
• communal
• governmental
• mutual
• national
• popular
• social
• universal
• urban