general public

American  

[jen-er-uhl puhb-lik] / ˈdʒɛn ər əl ˈpʌb lɪk /

Also the general public

noun

1. all or most people, especially those not part of a specified group; ordinary people as opposed to officials, experts, politicians, etc..

   The books have been warmly received by critics and by the general public.

   This protocol can be adopted by any organization wishing to improve workplace health and safety for employees, customers, and the general public.

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Etymology

Origin of general public

First recorded in 1845–50

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

general public

The general public doesn’t have “a perfect understanding of the link between deficits and the economy,” but “at some level people do understand the connection,” Goldwein added.

From MarketWatch ● Sep. 20, 2026

Its frequent appearances in museum exhibitions and audiovisual productions about dinosaurs have also helped make it one of the best-known "terrible lizards" among the general public.

From Science Daily ● Sep. 19, 2026

I participated in many of those decisions, and historians, policymakers and the general public will continue arguing about them long after those of us who were involved are gone.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 11, 2026

Scientists and the general public will have access to all of Roman's data.

From Barron's ● Aug. 30, 2026

“We’re going to play Squirrel Squad Six. The new edition. According to the game box, it won’t be released to the general public until early December.”

From "Escape from Mr. Lemoncello's Library" by Chris Grabenstein

Related Words

• association
• center
• company
• district
• nation
• neighborhood
• people
• public
• society
• state