public school

American  

noun

1. (in the U.S.) a school that is maintained at public expense for the education of the children of a community or district and that constitutes a part of a system of free public education commonly including primary and secondary schools.

2. (in England) any of a number of endowed secondary boarding schools that prepare students chiefly for the universities or for public service.

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public school British  

noun

1. (in England and Wales) a private independent fee-paying secondary school

2. (in the US) any school that is part of a free local educational system

3. in certin Canadian provinces, a public elementray school as distinguished from a separate school

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• public-school
  adjective

Etymology

Origin of public school

First recorded in 1570–80

Example Sentences

"Everyone felt dizzy, like we were being vigorously rocked on a hammock for more than two minutes. And the shaking was getting stronger by the second," said public school teacher Cesar Sundo in Lebak town.

From BBC • Jun. 9, 2026

Naveed Hasan is a computer programmer, a parent and a member of Panel for Education Policy, an oversight board for New Yorks' public school system.

From Barron's • Jun. 5, 2026

Under Tennessee law, “Roots” and other banned books can still be taught, but they are not part of the circulating collection at public school libraries.

From Salon • May 31, 2026

He listed their attributes—NFL alums, college stars, state titles—and then pointed out Edison High, an inner-city public school whose coach at the time boasted of negotiating multimillion-dollar deals, where he planned to enroll.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 10, 2026

The Warden found a job teaching at a public school and worked a second job helping mentally impaired adults.

From "Mountains Beyond Mountains" by Tracy Kidder and Michael French