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public
[puhb-lik]
adjective
of, relating to, or affecting a population or a community as a whole.
public funds;
a public nuisance.
done, made, acting, etc., for the community as a whole.
public prosecution.
open to all persons.
a public meeting.
of, relating to, or being in the service of a community or nation, especially as a government officer.
a public official.
maintained at the public expense and under public control.
a public library;
a public road.
generally known.
The fact became public.
familiar to the public; prominent.
public figures.
open to the view of all; existing or conducted in public.
a public dispute.
pertaining or devoted to the welfare or well-being of the community.
public spirit.
of or relating to all humankind; universal.
noun
the people constituting a community, state, or nation.
a particular group of people with a common interest, aim, etc..
the book-buying public.
British Informal.a tavern; public house.
public
/ ˈʌɪ /
adjective
of, relating to, or concerning the people as a whole
open or accessible to all
public gardens
performed or made openly or in the view of all
public proclamation
(prenominal) well-known or familiar to people in general
a public figure
(usually prenominal) maintained at the expense of, serving, or for the use of a community
a public library
open, acknowledged, or notorious
a public scandal
(of a private company) to issue shares for subscription by the public
to reveal publicly hitherto confidential information
noun
the community or people in general
a part or section of the community grouped because of a common interest, activity, etc
the racing public
Other Word Forms
- nonpublic adjective
- quasi-public adjective
- quasi-publicly adverb
- unpublic adjective
- unpublicly adverb
Word History and Origins
Word History and Origins
Origin of public1
Idioms and Phrases
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.
go public,
to issue stock for sale to the general public.
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.
make public, to cause to become known generally, as through the news media.
Her resignation was made public this morning.
Example Sentences
He took the company public in 1995, with its share price rising 33% on the first day of trading in New York.
Authorities had established vehicle checkpoints, in part, to keep the public away from these lingering hazards.
"I have worked closely with him over the past year and thank him for his valuable contribution enhancing our national security and protecting the British public."
Do we cut a rug out in public?
“Once a new taste captures the public's interest, there's an incredible drive to explore its nuances in depth. Chocolate has recently captured that attention, leading to widespread experimentation and a vibrant chocolate scene.”
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When To Use
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.
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.
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