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 court also kept numbers low with members of the general public not allowed in.

From BBC ● Jun. 24, 2026

I’m among the first civilians from the general public on the Naval Academy’s Yard since March.

From Slate ● Jun. 24, 2026

Employees might assume they know more about the company than the general public and therefore feel comfortable holding more shares.

From MarketWatch ● Jun. 23, 2026

Rep. Christian Menefee, argued that blockchain technology can increase trust and transparency among the general public.

From Salon ● Jun. 7, 2026

The great secret, known to internists and learned early in marriage by internists’ wives, but still hidden from the general public, is that most things get better by themselves.

From "The Lives of a Cell" by Lewis Thomas

Related Words

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