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

There are lots of little activist groups on the nuclear side, but I don’t see them as moving the general public or politicians very effectively.

From Salon • Jun. 15, 2026

The sport gained popularity throughout the early 2010s largely thanks to the Ultimate Fighting Championship, which quickly eclipsed other promotions until, for the general public, UFC and MMA became synonymous.

From Slate • Jun. 14, 2026

"To be honest we've been blown away and overwhelmed at the outpour of support from the music industry, from our fans, from the general public," says Nash.

From BBC • Jun. 11, 2026

Anthropic is releasing Claude Fable 5, a next-generation AI model based on Mythos, to the general public with safety guardrails.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 9, 2026

But it is just as important to write books for the general public, for people of all ages and in all countries.

From "My Life with the Chimpanzees" by Jane Goodall

Related Words

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