public sector

American  

noun

1. the area of the nation's affairs under governmental rather than private control.

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public sector British  

noun

1. the part of an economy that consists of state-owned institutions, including nationalized industries and services provided by local authorities Compare private sector

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public sector Cultural  

1. That part of the economy controlled by the government. (Compare private sector.)

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Etymology

Origin of public sector

First recorded in 1950–55

Example Sentences

The public sector spent an annualized $532.7 billion on construction projects in April, also up 0.4% from March.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 1, 2026

China’s public sector is not just talking about humanoid robots; it is spending money to buy them or fund deployments, helping startups get early revenue and proving grounds.

From MarketWatch • May 27, 2026

Before AI, most transformative technology came out of the public sector or public-private collaboration: the Manhattan Project, the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, the National Science Foundation.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 18, 2026

This latest report into HS2, expected to be published this week, is authored by former National Security Adviser Sir Stephen Lovegrove and has considered the implications for the civil service and public sector.

From BBC • May 17, 2026

Glorioso Islands   no economic activity Greece   Greece has a capitalist economy with the public sector   accounting for about 40% of GDP and with per capita GDP 70% of the   leading euro-zone economies.

From The 2005 CIA World Factbook by United States. Central Intelligence Agency