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

A government spokeswoman said the vaccine programme was "unprecedented" and reflected the strength of the UK's world-leading life sciences sector, the universal public health system and the extraordinary dedication of health and care staff.

From BBC • Apr. 16, 2026

"This is a huge public health crisis in the making," said Covarrubias, who is also an assistant professor of microbiology, immunology and molecular genetics.

From Science Daily • Apr. 16, 2026

Others among the Founding Fathers also made significant contributions to public health.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 14, 2026

Just as the Founders’ political vision lives on, so does the legacy of their concern for public health.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 14, 2026

I said that I imagined the Cubans liked his published attacks on American policy in Latin America, his admiration of Cuban public health and medicine, and his efforts to create connections between Cuba and Harvard.

From "Mountains Beyond Mountains" by Tracy Kidder and Michael French