Public

Quick meaning: Public is an adjective meaning Able to be known or seen by everyone; happening without concealment; open to general view.

Meaning

Able to be known or seen by everyone; happening without concealment; open to general view.

More Meanings

1. Pertaining to the people as a whole, as opposed to a group of people; concerning the whole community or country.
2. Pertaining to nations collectively, or to nations regarded as civilized; international, supernational.
3. Now chiefly in public spirit and public-spirited: seeking to further the best interests or well-being of the community or nation.
4. Open to all members of a community, as opposed to only a segment of it; especially, provided by national or local authorities and supported by money from taxes.
5. Officially representing the community; carried out or funded by the government or state on behalf of the community, rather than by a private organization.
6. Pertaining to a person in the capacity in which they deal with other people on a formal or official basis, as opposed to a personal or private capacity; official, professional.
7. (not comparable, by extension, object-oriented programming) Of an object: accessible to the program in general, not only to a class or subclass.

Example Sentences

[O]ur last advices from Spain inform us, that the prince of Asturias had made his public entry into Madrid in great splendour.

Earlier this month [Tim] Godwin had to make a public apology to the family of Daniel Morgan after the collapse of a £30m inquiry into his murder in 1987.

[T]he Apoſtles preached as vvell vvhen they vvrote as vvhen they ſpake the Goſpell of Chriſt, and our vſuall publique reading of the vvord of God for the peoples inſtruction is preaching.

VVith ſcoffes and ſcornes, and contumelious taunts, / In open Market-place produc't they me, / To be a publique ſpectacle to all: / Here, ſayd they, is the Terror of the French, / The Scar-Crovv that affrights our Children ſo.

Word Forms

• publick
• publicke
• publike
• publique
• publics
• publicking
• publicked

Synonyms for public

Depending on context, synonyms include alehouse, boozer, drinker, drinkery, gargle-factory, groggery.

Antonyms for public

Common opposites include nonpublic, private.

Related Words

Related dictionary entries include semipublic, open, common, world, populace, community.

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