public policy

American  

[puhb-lik pol-uh-see] / ˈpʌb lɪk ˈpɒl ə si /

noun

1. 1. the body of laws and other measures that affect the general public.

      These officeholders are creating public policy on important issues including affordable housing and the environment.

   2. the underlying principles, values, or objectives that inform these laws and other measures: In a secular state, no religion can become the basis of public policy.

      The Institute participates in shaping public debate and public policy through inquiry and dialogue.

      In a secular state, no religion can become the basis of public policy.

2. Law. the principle that injury to the public good or public order constitutes a basis for declaring an act or transaction illegal or invalid.

   The principle of public policy requires that we judge the tendency of the contract at the time when it was entered into.

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Etymology

Origin of public policy

First recorded in 1775–85

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Example Sentences

See Examples For:

public policy

Dr Gavin Yamey, a professor of global health and public policy at Duke University in the US, criticised the proposal.

From BBC ● Nov. 5, 2026

She had a decade-long career in nursing and public policy and found new opportunities through referrals from friends, colleagues or through people she met at events where she spoke.

From MarketWatch ● Oct. 29, 2026

For Rucker Johnson, a professor of public policy at UC Berkeley who is co-author of the study, the promise of such early investments in the state’s youngest children extends far beyond elementary school test scores.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 22, 2026

The agenda is big on healthier lunches in schools, and the campaign is calling for public policy to “integrate healthy food into how Michigan delivers healthcare.”

From Slate ● Oct. 7, 2026

After I started the public policy program in September, I still felt disconnected.

From "Just Mercy" by Bryan Stevenson

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