public
Americanadjective
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of, relating to, or affecting a population or a community as a whole.
public funds;
a public nuisance.
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done, made, acting, etc., for the community as a whole.
public prosecution.
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open to all persons.
a public meeting.
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of, relating to, or being in the service of a community or nation, especially as a government officer.
a public official.
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maintained at the public expense and under public control.
a public library;
a public road.
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generally known.
The fact became public.
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familiar to the public; prominent.
public figures.
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open to the view of all; existing or conducted in public.
a public dispute.
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pertaining or devoted to the welfare or well-being of the community.
public spirit.
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of or relating to all humankind; universal.
noun
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the people constituting a community, state, or nation.
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a particular group of people with a common interest, aim, etc..
the book-buying public.
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British Informal. a tavern; public house.
idioms
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in public, not in private; in a situation open to public view or access; publicly.
It was the first time that she had sung in public.
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go public,
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to issue stock for sale to the general public.
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to present private or previously concealed information, news, etc., to the public; make matters open to public view.
The senator threatened to go public with his congressional-reform plan.
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make public, to cause to become known generally, as through the news media.
Her resignation was made public this morning.
adjective
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of, relating to, or concerning the people as a whole
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open or accessible to all
public gardens
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performed or made openly or in the view of all
public proclamation
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(prenominal) well-known or familiar to people in general
a public figure
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(usually prenominal) maintained at the expense of, serving, or for the use of a community
a public library
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open, acknowledged, or notorious
a public scandal
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(of a private company) to issue shares for subscription by the public
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to reveal publicly hitherto confidential information
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noun
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the community or people in general
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a part or section of the community grouped because of a common interest, activity, etc
the racing public
Usage
What does public mean? Public is the people who make up a community, state, or nation, as in When a government raises taxes, the public has a right to know. A single person in this context is a member of the public. Related to that, public is used to describe many things connected to the public, such as something related to it (public funds), providing a benefit to it (public school), or providing a service (public official). Public can also describe something that is open or available to everyone, such as a public event or public information. And public can describe something or someone known by the public. A celebrity is someone well known by very many people, so they are sometimes called public figures. Example: Schools funded by the public are generally open to all students in the area.
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of public
First recorded in 1400–50; from Latin pūblicus, earlier pōblicus, pōplicus (spelling influenced by pūbēs “adulthood”; see pubes), ultimately from popul(us) people + -icus -ic; replacing late Middle English publique, from Middle French, from Latin, as above
Explanation
Something that affects the entire community — whether it's your town, your country, or the world — is public. Climate change, for example, is a public concern, as is finding a clean public bathroom. You can use the word public as a noun, when you're talking about a large group of people. You might say that the public is getting tired of the inefficient bus system in your city, or that the new library branch is open to the public. The adjective public is good for discussing things that concern everyone. The Latin root word, publicus, means "of the people, of the state, common, or ordinary."
Vocabulary lists containing public
"Seeking Freedom"
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Selection Vocabulary 1, Unit 2
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"CLEP Financial Accounting," Vocabulary from Chapter 5
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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.
"Occasionally, a member of the public will approach us to thank us after an incident, but they met the other brother - we are always happy to pass on the message."
From BBC • May 19, 2026
What’s Next: OpenAI now has freedom to pursue a public stock listing, as The Wall Street Journal points out External link.
From Barron's • May 19, 2026
The SEC recently proposed making it optional for public companies to file quarterly financial reports; under the proposal, firms could choose to disclose their results only twice a year.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 19, 2026
The documentary includes discussions about your public past relationships, like with your co-star Jason Donovan, then about Michael Hutchence and Nick Cave.
From Los Angeles Times • May 19, 2026
But leave it to him to stroll through Aunt Fanny Hamline’s grove like it was a public right-of-way.
From "The Teacher’s Funeral" by Richard Peck
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.
