I. ˈpəblik, -lēk adjective
Etymology: Middle English publique, from Middle French public, publique, from Latin publicus, probably alteration (influenced by puber, pubes grown up, adult) of poplicus, from populus people + -icus -ic — more at puberty , people
1.
a. : of, relating to, or affecting the people as an organized community : civic , national
public affairs
public holiday
public authority exists primarily to regulate … social and economic life — M.S.Kendrick
— compare public law
b. : of or relating to the international community or to mankind in general : common , universal
public philosophy has … always been a political ideology — H.J.Morgenthau
c. : authorized or administered by or acting for the people as a political entity : government
public expenditures
public subsidy
public agency
public prosecutor
d. : provided for, used by, or containing the records of a government agency
the post office and other public buildings
public documents
2. Britain : of, relating to, or representing a university as a whole rather than one of its colleges or departments
the office of … public Orator — Cambridge University Cal.
3.
a. : of or relating to business or community interests as opposed to private affairs : social , impersonal
public mortality
leading from these private confessions of his poetry … toward a more public form of expression — Hans Meyerhoff
b. : of, relating to, or in the service of the community or nation
an eminent figure in public life
housewives volunteering for public work in charitable institutions
specifically : holding political office
public official
c. : devoted to the general or national welfare : patriotic , humanitarian
debt the legal profession … owe to the publishers for their public spirit in producing these records — Norman Birkett
all Greek thinkers were public men — C.P.Rodocanachi
4.
a. : accessible to or shared by all members of the community
public hearing
public park
public water supply
tourist passengers enjoy 16 public rooms aboard the magnificent new … flagship — New York Times
b. : supported by or for the benefit of the people as a whole
public education
public welfare agencies
c. : common 2d
d. : of, by, for, or directed to the people : general , popular
public sentiment
public spokesman
public address
a book which increases public awareness — E.S.Furniss b. 1918
effective use of the property in the public interest — C.V.Shields
philanthropic activities keep him in the public eye
e. : providing services to the people on a business basis under some degree of civic or state control
wrote with force on … railroads as public agents — W.C.Ford
right of women to smoke in restaurants and other public places — Frances Perkins
5.
a. : exposed to general view : conspicuous , open
a rather too public affair with another woman — William Sansom
b. : well-known , prominent
stage stars and public figures — James Dowdall
c. : of an observable or perceptible nature : external , material
belief in tables and chairs existing as public … objects independently of his sense impressions of them — F.S.C.Northrop
the conventional or public aspect of language can encroach upon the … symbolical aspect — R.M.Weaver
II. noun
( -s )
Etymology: Middle English publique, from publique, adjective
1. : a place accessible or visible to all members of the community — usually used in the phrase in public
resent the … attempt to usurp in private the authority she could never assert in public — Edith Wharton
2.
a. : an organized body of people : community , nation
the western European statesmen and publics alike seem equally agreed that the slightest infringement of their national sovereignty is … abhorrent — Patrick McMahon
b. : the people as a whole : populace , masses
the public … in many cities have become apathetic to hit-and-run accidents — Ray Ashworth
3. : a group of people distinguished by common interests or characteristics
protecting movie stars from their publics — New Yorker
two books … different in scope, and aimed at different publics — T.G.Bergin
places before farmers, homemakers, and the rural public information on currently important agricultural situations — U.S. Govt. Manual
4. Britain : public house