The people in general, regardless of membership of any particular group.
"The new policy was designed to benefit the public rather than just a select few members of the industry."
In plain English: A public is a large group of people who share common interests or concerns.
"The public was disappointed by the delay in the project."
Usage: Use "the public" to refer to all citizens collectively, such as when discussing how a news story affects everyone. Do not use it to mean a specific audience or group within a larger community.
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"
affecting the people or community as a whole
"community leaders"
"community interests"
"the public welfare"
Able to be seen or known by everyone; open to general view, happening without concealment.
"The town decided to make the budget details public so every resident could see how their taxes were being spent."
In plain English: Public means belonging to everyone rather than just one person or a private group.
"The public park is open to everyone in the city."
Usage: Use "public" to describe anything open to general view or accessible to everyone, such as public spaces or public records. Do not use it to mean something that is merely loud or noisy, which is a common error.
The word "public" entered English from Anglo-Norman and Old French in the late Middle Ages. Originally describing anything generally observable or belonging to the community as a whole, it has retained that core meaning of relating to everyone rather than just private individuals.