public house
Americannoun
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British. a tavern.
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an inn or hostelry.
noun
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the formal name for pub
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an inn, tavern, or small hotel
Etymology
Origin of public house
First recorded in 1565–75
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.
In his response to the debate, the minister for the constitution, Dafydd Trystan Davies, said the debate had descended "to the level of a public house" at points.
From BBC • Jun. 17, 2026
The couple's solicitor Aled Owen described it as a "tragic accident" adding Carmarthenshire council "confirmed that the public house complies with all health and safety issues to the absolute best of industry standard".
From BBC • Apr. 27, 2024
A record of customers will be kept, challenging the ethos of a public house open to all without membership or registration.
From Reuters • Jul. 2, 2020
Also, in the private rented sector, it is more likely to be people on exceedingly low incomes who will use the off-licence, not the public house.
From The Guardian • Dec. 1, 2018
“I talked it over with a few members of the council and we decided that it would be quite all right for you to use the public house if you would care to.”
From "The Name of the Wind" by Patrick Rothfuss
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.
