pub·lic

(pŭb′lĭk)

adj.

1. Of, concerning, or affecting the community or the people: the public good.

2. Maintained for or used by the people or community: a public park.

3. Capitalized in shares of stock that can be traded on the open market: a public company; took the company public.

4. Participated in or attended by the people or community: "Opinions are formed in a process of open discussion and public debate" (Hannah Arendt).

5. Connected with or acting on behalf of the people, community, or government: public office.

6. Enrolled in or attending a public school: transit passes for public students.

7. Open to the knowledge or judgment of all: a public scandal.

1. The community or the people as a whole.

2. A group of people sharing a common interest: the reading public.

3. Admirers or followers, especially of a famous person. See Usage Note at collective noun.

Idioms:

go public with Informal

To reveal to the public a previously unknown or secret piece of information: The president finally had to go public with the scandal.

in public

In such a way as to be visible to the scrutiny of the people: "A career is born in public—talent in privacy" (Marilyn Monroe).

[Middle English publik, from Old French public, from Latin pūblicus, alteration (influenced by pūbēs, adult population) of poplicus, from populus, people, of Etruscan origin.]

pub′lic·ness n.

American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:

Adv.

in public - in a manner accessible to or observable by the public; openly; "she admitted publicly to being a communist"

publically, publicly

Translations

علانيَةً، جَهْرا، أمام الناس

veřejně

for åbent tæppe

in der Öffentlichkeit

en public

opinberlega

in pubblico

for åpen scene

açıkçaherkesin önünde

公开地当众

public

(ˈpablik) adjective

of, for, or concerning, the people (of a community or nation) in general. a public library; a public meeting; Public opinion turned against him; The public announcements are on the back page of the newspaper; This information should be made public and not kept secret any longer.

ˈpublicly adverb

puˈblicity (-ˈblisə-) noun

1. advertising. There is a lot of publicity about the dangers of smoking.

2. the state of being widely known. Film stars usually like publicity.

ˈpublicize, ˈpublicise (-saiz) verb

to make widely known; to advertise. We are publicizing a new product.

public holiday

a day on which all (or most) shops, offices and factories are closed for a holiday.

public house (usually abbreviated to pub (pab) )

a house where alcoholic drinks are sold to the public.

public relations (also PR)

the attitude, understanding etc between a firm, government etc and the public.

ˌpublic ˈservice anˌnouncement noun

(especially American) an announcement on television or radio given as a service to the public.

public spirit

a desire to do things for the good of the community.

ˌpublic-ˈspirited adjective

public transport

the bus, tram and train services provided by a state or community for the public.

in public

in front of other people, not in private. They are always quarrelling in public.

the public

people in general. This swimming pool is open to the public every day.

public opinion poll

a way of finding out public opinion by questioning a certain number of people.

the public is singular: The public is entitled to know the facts .