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.
Los Angeles fire officials arrived shortly thereafter and saw the man atop one of the bridge’s arches, said Lindsey Lantz, public service officer with the Los Angeles Fire Department.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 24, 2026
But before entering public service, he spied on his colleagues at JPMorgan Chase.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 21, 2026
The statement said that “Forbes has devoted much of her life to public service and is widely respected by the many people who have worked with her over the years.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 20, 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
He turned to her and said, “About time,” when the train finally creaked in, with the familiarity strangers adopt with each other after sharing in the disappointment of a public service.
From "Americanah" by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
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.
