publican
Americannoun
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Chiefly British. a person who owns or manages a tavern; the keeper of a pub.
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Roman History. a person who collected public taxes.
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any collector of taxes, tolls, tribute, or the like.
noun
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(in Britain) a person who keeps a public house
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(in ancient Rome) a public contractor, esp one who farmed the taxes of a province
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
Etymology
Origin of publican
First recorded in 1150–1200; Middle English word from Latin word pūblicānus. See public, -an
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.
See Examples For:
We're all said to have descended from Solomon Mycock, a 19th Century farmer and publican in Buxton - there's even a temple in his name at the top of the hill in the town.
From BBC ● Apr. 18, 2026
“Some people thought it was a bit petulant,” said Dave Burns, a hotelier and publican in Christchurch who helped launch the campaign.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jan. 19, 2026
Pell was born on June 8, 1941, the eldest of three children to a heavyweight champion boxer and publican also named George Pell, an Anglican.
From Seattle Times ● Jan. 10, 2023
Everyone else in and around the nearby village is also played by Kinnear, including a young boy, a pompous vicar, a policeman, a publican and the naked man who appears outside the living room window.
From New York Times ● May 19, 2022
A fat red-faced man in check breeches and gaiters, who looked like a publican, was stroking her nose and feeding her with sugar.
From "Animal Farm: A Fairy Story" by George Orwell
"Instead, publicans are facing higher bills from April, which they simply can't afford."
From BBC ● Jan. 7, 2026
Ms Elliott said the event brings brewers, publicans and their customers together in the city, and helps to "keep the industry going through challenging economic times".
From BBC ● Aug. 25, 2023
On Thursday, William and Kate took the tube to a London pub where they met regulars, publicans and business owners in another publicity event before the coronation.
From Reuters ● May 5, 2023
The republic relied on publicans to construct public works such as aqueducts and theaters, as well as to operate government-owned mines and collect taxes.
From Textbooks ● Apr. 19, 2023
The Scribes and Pharisees took occasion to find fault with this, and asked the disciples, "How is it that your Master eateth with publicans and sinners?"
From "Granny's Chapters" (on scriptural subjects) by Ross, Lady Mary
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.
