public sector

American  

noun

1. the area of the nation's affairs under governmental rather than private control.

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public sector British  

noun

1. the part of an economy that consists of state-owned institutions, including nationalized industries and services provided by local authorities Compare private sector

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public sector Cultural  

1. That part of the economy controlled by the government. (Compare private sector.)

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Etymology

Origin of public sector

First recorded in 1950–55

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

public sector

California’s largest public sector union and the court reporters it represents warn the decision could allow the state’s court systems to stop hiring stenographers.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 6, 2026

The public sector recorded widespread increases, led for a second straight month by public administration and higher activity across all levels of government for the month.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 30, 2026

"We will be working collaboratively with public sector bodies to better understand the contribution they can make to increasing canopy cover in Wales," they added.

From BBC ● Jun. 26, 2026

Annual average earnings growth for the quarter was 4.8% for the public sector and 3% for the private sector.

From BBC ● Jun. 17, 2026

The government plans to   eventually lower its public sector deficit to below 3% of GDP to   adopt the euro.

From The 2008 CIA World Factbook by United States. Central Intelligence Agency