Webster's English Dictionary

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public

1. pub.lic \'p*b-lik\ aj [ME publique, fr. MF, fr. L publicus, prob. alter. 
   of poplicusX, fr. populus the people 1a: of, relating to, or affecting all 
   the people or the whole area of a na tion or state {~ law} 1b: GOVERNMENTAL 
    1c: in the service of the community or nation  2a: of or relating to 
   mankind in general : UNIVERSAL  2b: GENERAL, POPULAR  3: of or relating to 
   business or community interests as opposed to private  affairs : SOCIAL 4: 
   devoted to the general or national welfare : HUMANITARIAN  5: accessible to 
   or shared by all members of the community  6a: exposed to general view : 
   OPEN  6b: WELL-KNOWN, PROMINENT  6c: PERCEPTIBLE, MATERIAL  - pub.lic.ness 
   n
2. public n 1: a place accessible or visible to the public - usu. used in 
   the phrase  in public 2: the people as a whole : POPULACE  3: a group of 
   people having common interests or characteristics