public school

American  

noun

1. (in the U.S.) a school that is maintained at public expense for the education of the children of a community or district and that constitutes a part of a system of free public education commonly including primary and secondary schools.

2. (in England) any of a number of endowed secondary boarding schools that prepare students chiefly for the universities or for public service.

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public school British  

noun

1. (in England and Wales) a private independent fee-paying secondary school

2. (in the US) any school that is part of a free local educational system

3. in certin Canadian provinces, a public elementray school as distinguished from a separate school

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Other Word Forms

• public-school
  adjective

Etymology

Origin of public school

First recorded in 1570–80

Example Sentences

He listed their attributes—NFL alums, college stars, state titles—and then pointed out Edison High, an inner-city public school whose coach at the time boasted of negotiating multimillion-dollar deals, where he planned to enroll.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 10, 2026

When Mr. Giuliani took office, Mr. Salam was a student at Stuyvesant High, a selective public school in Manhattan.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 1, 2026

In 1980, justices struck down a law virtually identical to Texas’, forbidding states from placing the Ten Commandments in public school classrooms.

From Slate • Apr. 23, 2026

In the big picture, said Stanford’s Dee, “we see continued evidence that the families that left the public school system during the pandemic haven’t really returned.”

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 16, 2026

Benji and every kid in public school seemed to be taught that you were good at something.

From "Millionaires for the Month" by Stacey McAnulty