publicness

[ puhb-lik-nis ]

noun

1. the quality or state of being public or being owned by the public.

Word History and Origins

Origin of publicness¹

First recorded in 1595–1605; public + -ness

Example Sentences

There are four aspects, intrinsic to gift giving, that further these positive effects: sacrifice, reciprocity, “publicness” and ritual.

From Seattle Times

Among Maher’s wise choices is to accept that the very publicness of Baloch’s life makes her, on some level, unknowable.

From New York Times

Its director, Alex Poots, formerly of the Manchester international festival, said its publicness was the very thing that attracted him to move there.

From The Guardian

That turn at the end of the sentence is pure Orlean; even when contemplating something as big and abstract as “publicness,” her sensibility veers toward the immediacy of the human touch.

From New York Times

“The publicness of the public library is an increasingly rare commodity,” Orlean writes.

From New York Times