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.

---

Etymology

Origin of general public

First recorded in 1845–50

Example Sentences

"That's the barometer... the gas prices for the general public."

From Barron's • Mar. 26, 2026

“Under our precedents, a company is not liable as a copyright infringer for merely providing a service to the general public with knowledge that it will be used by some to infringe copyrights,” Thomas wrote.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 25, 2026

"Looking at the highest risk population, those with existing cardiovascular disease, these protective effects might be even greater than among the general public."

From Science Daily • Mar. 20, 2026

Wes Streeting told BBC Breakfast while he understood why people were concerned and seeking jabs, the risk to the general public was "low".

From BBC • Mar. 18, 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