public servant
Americannoun
noun
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an elected or appointed holder of a public office
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British equivalent: civil servant. a member of the public service
Etymology
Origin of public servant
First recorded in 1670–80
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.
A 71-year-old retired public servant at the same training session as Hwang recalled spending over 30 minutes trying to flag down a taxi on a busy Seoul street.
From Barron's ● Sep. 14, 2026
It added: "Ann was unafraid to express her unwavering convictions, formed through her Roman Catholic faith. She had a sharp intellect and was a dedicated public servant."
From BBC ● Aug. 12, 2026
Peters was convicted on several charges including attempting to influence a public servant, violating her elections duty and conspiring to commit criminal impersonation.
From The Wall Street Journal ● May 15, 2026
The obscure law bans a person from soliciting or receiving nonpublic information from a public servant by means of their office or employment with the intent to obtain a benefit.
From Slate ● Mar. 26, 2026
Mother said it was the height of rudeness for a public servant with privileged knowledge to pry, and for once I had to agree with her.
From "The Evolution of Calpurnia Tate" by Jacqueline Kelly
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.
