public debt

American  

noun

1. national debt.

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public debt British  

noun

1. the total financial obligations incurred by all governmental bodies of a nation

2. another name for national debt

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Etymology

Origin of public debt

First recorded in 1715–25

Example Sentences

He served as director general of the French Treasury between 2020 and 2024, overseeing economic policy and public debt.

From Barron's • May 20, 2026

High levels of public debt also have been part of the problem, including in the U.S., where the federal debt is back above 100% of gross domestic product, or larger than the economy.

From MarketWatch • May 18, 2026

It added that it expects to present a macroeconomic framework and public debt sustainability analysis next month.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 13, 2026

The amount of interest government pays on existing public debt is linked to inflation and interest rates on bonds.

From BBC • May 12, 2026

True, the funded public debt had grown to 33½ millions, but the population had also increased to 484,700, so that the public debt proper was slightly more than �69 per head.

From Our First Half-Century: A Review of Queensland Progress Based Upon Official Information by Queensland