Public
/ˈpʌb.lɪk/noun
Relating to or concerning the people as a whole.
Did you know?The term 'public' is steeped in the notion of community ownership, echoing ancient Roman ideas of citizenship and shared spaces, giving it a deeper, almost ritualistic significance in society.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*publicus
“belonging to the people”
Latin
Latin
publicus
“of the people, popular, pertaining to the state”
Old French
Old French
public
“of or pertaining to the people, common”
Middle English
Middle English
public
“common, pertaining to the community”
Modern English
English
public
“relating to the people as a whole”