public school

American  

noun

1. (in the U.S.) a school that is maintained at public expense for the education of the children of a community or district and that constitutes a part of a system of free public education commonly including primary and secondary schools.

2. (in England) any of a number of endowed secondary boarding schools that prepare students chiefly for the universities or for public service.

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public school British  

noun

1. (in England and Wales) a private independent fee-paying secondary school

2. (in the US) any school that is part of a free local educational system

3. in certin Canadian provinces, a public elementray school as distinguished from a separate school

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• public-school
  adjective

Etymology

Origin of public school

First recorded in 1570–80

Example Sentences

Naveed Hasan is a computer programmer, a parent and a member of Panel for Education Policy, an oversight board for New Yorks' public school system.

From Barron's • Jun. 5, 2026

Under Tennessee law, “Roots” and other banned books can still be taught, but they are not part of the circulating collection at public school libraries.

From Salon • May 31, 2026

Parents can send their children to any public school, as long as it has room and they provide transportation.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 10, 2026

California lawmakers enacted a law in 2020 that led to an unprecedented wave of litigation across nearly 1,000 public school districts.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 30, 2026

She and Jimmy made a living as public school teachers, but their paychecks were modest.

From "Hidden Figures" by Margot Lee Shetterly