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

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

Knight worked with policymakers and a U.K. charity to raise awareness and help doctors and the general public recognize ectopic pregnancy symptoms.

From Salon ● Sep. 13, 2026

Visitors flocked to the British Museum in London on Thursday as the Bayeux Tapestry exhibition opened its doors to the general public.

From BBC ● Sep. 10, 2026

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

From Barron's ● Aug. 30, 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