public health

American  

noun

1. health services to improve and protect community health, especially sanitation, immunization, and preventive medicine.

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Other Word Forms

• public-health
  adjective

Etymology

Origin of public health

First recorded in 1610–20

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

public health

“Olympic-level mental gymnastics are required to square this circle,” said Timothy Caulfield, a professor of law and public health at the University of Alberta.

From Slate ● Jul. 29, 2026

Translated into constitutional terms, Minnesota argued that the surge violated federalist principles by invading the state’s reserved police powers: the broad authority to govern public health, safety, welfare, and order.

From Slate ● Jul. 27, 2026

She compares the ASA to the American Heart Association, which uses its research and authority to advance messages intended to improve public health, providing guidelines and issuing warnings.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 25, 2026

Muggy conditions have limited overnight cooling, and that combined with the hot daytime temperatures have public health authorities warning of an elevated risk of heat illness.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 24, 2026

As the tide of chemicals born of the Industrial Age has arisen to engulf our environment, a drastic change has come about in the nature of the most serious public health problems.

From "Silent Spring" by Rachel Carson