public school

American  

noun

public schools plural

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

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• public schools
  plural

Etymology

Origin of public school

First recorded in 1570–80

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

public school

If approved, the state would have a constitutional mandate to provide free lunches and breakfasts for all K-12 public school students.

From Salon ● Jul. 26, 2026

In the U.S., elite youth soccer isn’t played through public school teams like football or basketball.

From MarketWatch ● Jul. 9, 2026

It doesn’t force a single family to leave a public school.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 6, 2026

The only trans student-athlete seeking a right to play sports at her public school, known as B.P.J. in the court documents, was in a similar position.

From Slate ● Jun. 30, 2026

“Russell Culver, you have ruined my chances as a public school teacher. You meant to and you did. It was your plan from the start.”

From "The Teacher’s Funeral" by Richard Peck