public service
Americannoun
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the business of supplying an essential commodity, as gas or electricity, or a service, as transportation, to the general public.
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government employment; civil service.
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a service to the public rendered without charge by a profit-making organization.
This radio program has been brought to you as a public service.
noun
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government employment
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the management and administration of the affairs of a political unit, esp the civil service
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a service provided for the community
buses provide a public service
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( as modifier )
a public-service announcement
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British equivalent: civil service. the service responsible for the public administration of the government of a country. It excludes the legislative, judicial, and military branches. Members of the public service have no official political allegiance and are not generally affected by changes of governments
Etymology
Origin of public service
First recorded in 1560–70
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.
“For years I had asked Usha to have another baby, and for years she had told me she was done—especially now that public service had elevated us into the national spotlight,” Vance wrote.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 19, 2026
While there is a constitutional minimum age for public service — 30 for the Senate, 25 for the House and 35 for President, there is not a maximum age.
From Salon ● Jul. 12, 2026
Andy Burnham, Labour's likely incoming prime minister, said: "Ann gave a lifetime of public service, and it's absolutely right that the police put all their resources into investigating this as swiftly as possible."
From BBC ● Jul. 10, 2026
“ITV will remain a public service broadcaster at the heart of British life, and we’re excited about the future we can build together,” she said.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 6, 2026
We usually honored a luminary in public service and a client.
From "Just Mercy" by Bryan Stevenson
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.
