public

[ puhb-lik ]

/ ˈpʌb lɪk /

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See synonyms for public on Thesaurus.com

adjective

of, relating to, or affecting a population or a community as a whole: public funds; a public nuisance.

done, made, acting, etc., for the community as a whole: public prosecution.

open to all persons: a public meeting.

of, relating to, or being in the service of a community or nation, especially as a government officer: a public official.

maintained at the public expense and under public control: a public library; a public road.

generally known: The fact became public.

familiar to the public; prominent: public figures.

open to the view of all; existing or conducted in public: a public dispute.

pertaining or devoted to the welfare or well-being of the community: public spirit.

of or relating to all humankind; universal.

noun

the people constituting a community, state, or nation.

a particular group of people with a common interest, aim, etc.: the book-buying public.

British Informal. a tavern; public house.

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showing self-respect

treating others with kindness

acting selfishly

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Idioms about public

go public,

to issue stock for sale to the general public.
to present private or previously concealed information, news, etc., to the public; make matters open to public view: The senator threatened to go public with his congressional-reform plan.

in public, not in private; in a situation open to public view or access; publicly: It was the first time that she had sung in public.

make public, to cause to become known generally, as through the news media: Her resignation was made public this morning.

Origin of public

1400–50; <Latin pūblicus (earlier pōblicus, pōplicus, akin to populuspeople); replacing late Middle English publique<Middle French <Latin, as above

OTHER WORDS FROM public

non·pub·lic, adjectivequasi-public, adjectivequa·si-pub·lic·ly, adverbun·pub·lic, adjective

un·pub·lic·ly, adverb

WORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH public

pubic, public

Words nearby public

pubic region, pubic symphysis, pubiotomy, pubis, publ., public, public access, public-access television, public accountant, public-address system, public administration

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2022

How to use public in a sentence

Today, the solution that she built moves into public beta and will compete at TechCrunch Disrupt Battlefield with other startups for $100,000 and the Disrupt Cup.
Perigee infrastructure security solution from former NSA employee moves into public beta|Ron Miller|September 17, 2020|TechCrunch
The filings have been at the center of a legal fight between the impeached president and Democrats, who have demanded that he make the contents available to the American public.
Jaime Harrison Says He Feels ‘A Little Sad’ For Lindsey Graham|Hope Wright|September 17, 2020|Essence.com
During the most recent fiscal year, which ended in June, it rose again, to 314, according to the Cook County public guardian’s office.
Still No Answers to Lawmakers’ Questions About Children Stuck in Psychiatric Hospitals|by Duaa Eldeib|September 15, 2020|ProPublica
No Silicon Valley startup has gone public yet this year, but that bleak stretch is about to end.
Why Snowflake could become a tech giant|Aaron Pressman|September 15, 2020|Fortune

In 2015, the Obama-Biden administration orchestrated Mission Innovation, a compact among 20 countries to double public funding for energy RD&D over five years.
To confront the climate crisis, the US should launch a National Energy Innovation Mission|Amy Nordrum|September 15, 2020|MIT Technology Review
When cities started adding chlorine to their water supplies, in the early 1900s, it set off public outcry.
Anti-Fluoriders Are The OG Anti-Vaxxers|Michael Schulson|July 27, 2016|DAILY BEAST
Not to be left behind, progressives in neighboring Wisconsin clamored to join the cutting edge of public health.
Anti-Fluoriders Are The OG Anti-Vaxxers|Michael Schulson|July 27, 2016|DAILY BEAST
Just the hard-on before you shoot unarmed members of the public.
'Babylon' Review: The Dumb Lives of Trigger-Happy Cops|Melissa Leon|January 9, 2015|DAILY BEAST
Great American leaders have long contributed profound thoughts of tremendous consequence to the public discourse.
Huckabee 2016: Bend Over and Take It Like a Prisoner!|Olivia Nuzzi|January 8, 2015|DAILY BEAST
Saved from the public gallows, Weeks was virtually exiled from the city, and wound up in Mississippi, where he raised a family.
New York’s Most Tragic Ghost Loves Minimalist Swedish Fashion|Nina Strochlic|January 8, 2015|DAILY BEAST
As such it is now presented to the public for whatever meed of praise or censure it is found to deserve.
Tobacco; Its History, Varieties, Culture, Manufacture and Commerce|E. R. Billings.
Five of the number had studied with Liszt before, and the young men are artists already before the public.
Music-Study in Germany|Amy Fay
Many of these have been seen in the Corcoran Art Gallery and in other public exhibitions.
Women in the fine arts, from the Seventh Century B.C. to the Twentieth Century A.D.|Clara Erskine Clement
It was close upon twelve o'clock, and the "Rooms" had been open to the public for two hours.
Rosemary in Search of a Father|C. N. Williamson
It will be a busy session; and I want to see if I can't become a useful public man.
Elster's Folly|Mrs. Henry Wood

British Dictionary definitions for public

public

/ (ˈpʌblɪk) /

adjective

of, relating to, or concerning the people as a whole

open or accessible to allpublic gardens

performed or made openly or in the view of allpublic proclamation

(prenominal) well-known or familiar to people in generala public figure

(usually prenominal) maintained at the expense of, serving, or for the use of a communitya public library

open, acknowledged, or notoriousa public scandal

go public

(of a private company) to issue shares for subscription by the public
to reveal publicly hitherto confidential information

noun

the community or people in general

a part or section of the community grouped because of a common interest, activity, etcthe racing public

Word Origin for public

C15: from Latin pūblicus, changed from pōplicus of the people, from populus people

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Idioms and Phrases with public

public

see go public; in public; in the public eye; John Doe (Q. Public); wash one's dirty linen in public.

public

Idioms about public

Origin of public

OTHER WORDS FROM public

WORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH public

Words nearby public

Words related to public

How to use public in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for public

Word Origin for public

Other Idioms and Phrases with public