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

That makes cutting through to the general public more challenging at a crucial time.

From BBC ● Jul. 23, 2026

Two or three years after “talking pictures” were introduced to the general public in 1927, they had triumphed absolutely.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 15, 2026

"The approved measures will enable researchers, civil society and the general public to gain more transparency into X’s systems and the impact on users," he added.

From Barron's ● Jul. 15, 2026

The 300,000-square-foot, $1-billion museum located in Exposition Park will also host a special community preview day on Sept. 13, more than a week before the general public gets to step inside.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 9, 2026

In Gey’s one appearance on television, he didn’t mention Henrietta or her cells by name, so the general public knew nothing of HeLa.

From "The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks" by Rebecca Skloot

Related Words

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