public service

American  

noun

1. the business of supplying an essential commodity, as gas or electricity, or a service, as transportation, to the general public.

2. government employment; civil service.

3. 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.

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public service British  

noun

1. 1. government employment

   2. the management and administration of the affairs of a political unit, esp the civil service

2. 1. a service provided for the community

      buses provide a public service

   2. ( as modifier )

      a public-service announcement

3. 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

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Etymology

Origin of public service

First recorded in 1560–70

Example Sentences

So more long term, there's working out what public service media will look like in 2035 and how to ensure the BBC remains at the heart of national life.

From BBC • Mar. 23, 2026

"That would have been an important specimen," said Freeman, lead author of the study and a senior public service associate emeritus at the UGA Odum School of Ecology.

From Science Daily • Mar. 23, 2026

For Mueller, the investigation was a capstone of a long career in public service.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 21, 2026

Still, it highlights how mixing public service and private business can raise ethics questions.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 19, 2026

One of Alfred’s cousins and contemporaries, Henry Stimson, would distinguish himself in public service with one stint as secretary of state and two as secretary of war.

From "Big Science" by Michael Hiltzik

Related Words

• civil service