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public Definition

pub·lic (pub′lik)

adjective

  1. of, belonging to, or concerning the people as a whole; of or by the community at large the public welfare, a public outcry
  2. for the use or benefit of all; esp., supported by government funds a public park
  3. as regards community, rather than private, affairs
  4. acting in an official capacity on behalf of the people as a whole a public prosecutor
  5. known by, or open to the knowledge of, all or most people to make information public, a public figure
  6. Finance owned by shareholders whose shares can be freely traded, as on an exchange a public company

Etymology: ME < L publicus: altered (prob. infl. by pubes, adult) < poplicus, contr. of populicus, public < populus, the people

noun

  1. the people as a whole; community at large
  2. a specific part of the people; those people considered together because of some common interest or purpose the reading public

public Idioms

go public

  1. to become a publicly owned company by issuing shares for sale to the public
  2. to reveal something previously kept private or secret to the public

in public

openly; not in private or in secrecy

public Synonyms

public

modif.

  1. Open to the public

    free to all, without charge, unrestricted, not private, known; see also free 4.

  2. Owned by the public

    governmental, government, civil, civic, common, communal, publicly owned, municipal, metropolitan, state, federal, country, city, township, deeded in perpetuity.

    Antonyms private*, personal*, restricted.

public Synonyms

public

n.

people, society, the community, populace, citizens, the nation; see also people 3.

in public

candidly, plainly, above board; see openly 1.

public Usage Examples

Converse of object

  • inform: If ozone concentrations exceed 180 micrograms per cubic meter, they must inform the public and provide health advice.
  • mislead: Organic World in Friars Stile Road, Richmond Hill, is to be renamed The Real Butchers to avoid misleading the public.
  • protect: ARP wardens were enlisted to help protect the general public during an air raid, for example, guiding people to the shelters.
  • invite: Envisaging himself in the role of High Priest, he was inviting the British public to become part of the temple's congregation.
  • deceive: The use of SAR as an indicator of cellphone safety will deceive the public into a false sense of security.
  • encourage: As part of the public debates, openDemocracy.net is encouraging the public to hold their own meetings on 11 March with friends and family.

Converse of subject

perceive: Despite the excellent safety record of Western reactor designs they are still perceived by the public as presenting risks to health and life.

Adjective modifier

  • general: ARP wardens were enlisted to help protect the general public during an air raid, for example, guiding people to the shelters.
  • British: The Greatest Britons of all Time In November 2002, the British public voted to find the Greatest Briton of all time.
  • wide: By 1994, both Blair and Brown had established clear profiles as modernisers within the party and to the wider public.
  • American: For example, the American public cares about privacy rights as deeply as Europeans do.

Modifies a noun

  • transport: We advise students to use public transport or to arrive early.
  • sector: Overall, Brown's message to the public sector was stark: the bumper years are over.
  • domain: An open call for nominations would also keep the process in the public domain.
  • service: Only a handful of public services will be spared.
  • opinion: A senior Scottish Labor MP said the prime minister must stop defying public opinion over the crisis in Lebanon.
  • interest: There is a genuine matter of public interest at stake here.

Used with adjective complement

make: The Court's reasons have only just been made public.

Noun used with modifier

  • viewing: The exposure was good for the band, all bands in general, and for the viewing public.
  • consuming: The first is addressed to the consuming public: Do not buy Moto Racer 3: Gold Edition, not even as a joke.