add. ·- in the united states, a free primary, grammar, or high school maintained by the local government.
2. public school ·add. ·- in great britain, any of various schools maintained by the community, wholly or partly under public control, or maintained largely by endowment and not carried on chiefly for profit; specif., and commonly, any of various select and usually expensive endowed schools which give a liberal modern education or prepare pupils for the universities. eton, harrow, rugby, and winchester are of this class.