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public domain
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noun Law.
the status of a literary work or an invention whose copyright or patent has expired or that never had such protection.
land owned by the government.
QUIZ
THINGAMABOB OR THINGUMMY: CAN YOU DISTINGUISH BETWEEN THE US AND UK TERMS IN THIS QUIZ?
Do you know the difference between everyday US and UK terminology? Test yourself with this quiz on words that differ across the Atlantic.
Question 1 of 7
In the UK, COTTON CANDY is more commonly known as…
Origin of public domain
An Americanism dating back to 1825–35
OTHER WORDS FROM public domain
pub·lic-do·main, adjectiveWords nearby public domain
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
How to use public domain in a sentence
British Dictionary definitions for public domain
public domain
noun
US lands owned by a state or by the federal government
the status of a published work or invention upon which the copyright or patent has expired or which has not been patented or subject to copyright. It may thus be freely used by the public
in the public domain able to be discussed and examined freely by the general public
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
© William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
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