PUBLIC

public

(adjective) affecting the people or community as a whole; “community leaders”; “community interests”; “the public welfare”

public

(adjective) not private; open to or concerning the people as a whole; “the public good”; “public libraries”; “public funds”; “public parks”; “a public scandal”; “public gardens”; “performers and members of royal families are public figures”

public

(noun) a body of people sharing some common interest; “the reading public”

populace, public, world

(noun) people in general considered as a whole; “he is a hero in the eyes of the public”

Source: WordNet® 3.1

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Etymology

Adjective

public (comparative more public, superlative most public)

Able to be seen or known by everyone; open to general view, happening without concealment. [from 14th c.]

Pertaining to the people as a whole (as opposed to a private group); concerning the whole country, community etc. [from 15th c.]

Officially representing the community; carried out or funded by the state on behalf of the community. [from 15th c.]

Open to all members of a community; especially, provided by national or local authorities and supported by money from taxes. [from 15th c.]

(of a company) Traded publicly via a stock market.

(not comparable, object-oriented programming) Accessible to the program in general, not only to the class or any subclasses.

Antonyms

• private

Noun

public (usually uncountable, plural publics)

The people in general, regardless of membership of any particular group.

(archaic) A public house; an inn.

Usage notes

• Although generally considered uncountable, this noun does also have countable usage, as in the quotation above.

Source: Wiktionary

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Pub"lic, a. Etym: [L. publicus, poblicus, fr. populus people: cf. F. public. See People.]

1. Of or pertaining to the people; belonging to the people; relating to, or affecting, a nation, state, or community; -- opposed to private; as, the public treasury. To the public good Private respects must yield. Milton. He [Alexander Hamilton] touched the dead corpse of the public credit, and it sprung upon its feet. D. Webster.

2. Open to the knowledge or view of all; general; common; notorious; as, public report; public scandal. Joseph, . . . not willing to make her a public example, was minded to put her away privily. Matt. i. 19.

3. Open to common or general use; as, a public road; a public house. "The public street." Shak. Public act or statute (Law), an act or statute affecting matters of public concern. Of such statutes the courts take judicial notice.

– Public credit. See under Credit.

– Public funds. See Fund, 3.

– Public house, an inn, or house of entertainment.

– Public law. (a) See International law, under International. (b) A public act or statute.

– Public nuisance. (Law) See under Nuisance.

– Public orator. (Eng. Universities) See Orator, 3.

– Public stores, military and naval stores, equipments, etc.

– Public works, all fixed works built by civil engineers for public use, as railways, docks, canals, etc.; but strictly, military and civil engineering works constructed at the public cost.

Pub"lic, n.

1. The general body of mankind, or of a nation, state, or community; the people, indefinitely; as, the American public; also, a particular body or aggregation of people; as, an author's public. The public is more disposed to censure than to praise. Addison.

2. A public house; an inn. [Scot.] Sir W. Scott. In public, openly; before an audience or the people at large; not in private or secrecy. "We are to speak in public." Shak.

Source: Webster’s Unabridged Dictionary 1913 Edition

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