public

adjective

1. not private; open to or concerning the people as a whole

- the public good

- public libraries

- public funds

Similar word(s): exoteric, open, overt, national, open, semipublic, unexclusive, unrestricted

2. affecting the people or community as a whole

- the public welfare

Similar word(s): common

noun

1. people in general considered as a whole

- he is a hero in the eyes of the public

Similar word(s): populace, world

Definition categories: group, people

2. a body of people sharing some common interest

- the reading public

Definition categories: group, body