public service
Americannoun
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the business of supplying an essential commodity, as gas or electricity, or a service, as transportation, to the general public.
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government employment; civil service.
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a service to the public rendered without charge by a profit-making organization.
This radio program has been brought to you as a public service.
noun
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government employment
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the management and administration of the affairs of a political unit, esp the civil service
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a service provided for the community
buses provide a public service
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( as modifier )
a public-service announcement
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British equivalent: civil service. the service responsible for the public administration of the government of a country. It excludes the legislative, judicial, and military branches. Members of the public service have no official political allegiance and are not generally affected by changes of governments
Etymology
Origin of public service
First recorded in 1560–70
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
"No-one should have to face such financial anxiety after a lifetime of dedicated public service," he added.
From BBC • Jun. 8, 2026
“I must step away from public service to be by his side and fully support him through this battle,” Gabbard wrote.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 22, 2026
"At this time, I must step away from public service to be by his side and fully support him through this battle."
From Barron's • May 22, 2026
The BBC, like Channel 4, is a public service broadcaster - and it too is no stranger to controversy.
From BBC • May 22, 2026
Daniel Hudson Burnham was born in Henderson, New York, on September 4, 1846, into a family devoted to Swedenborgian principles of obedience, self-subordination, and public service.
From "The Devil in the White City" by Erik Larson
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Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.