[pub.lic] adj [ME publique, fr. MF, fr. L publicus; akin to L populus the people] (14c) 1 a: exposed to general view: open b: well-known, prominent c: perceptible, material
2. a: of, relating to, or affecting all the people or the whole area of a nation or state "~ law" b: of or relating to a government c: of, relating to, or being in the service of the community or nation 3 a: of or relating to people in general: universal b: general, popular
4: of or relating to business or community interests as opposed to private affairs: social
5: devoted to the general or national welfare: humanitarian
6. a: accessible to or shared by all members of the community b: capitalized in shares that can be freely traded on the open market--often used with go -- pub.lic.ness n
[2]public n (15c) 1: a place accessible or visible to the public--usu. used in the phrase in public
2: the people as a whole: populace
3: a group of people having common interests or characteristics; specif: the group at which a particular activity or enterprise aims