Able to be known or seen by everyone; happening without concealment; open to general view. • Open to all members of a community, as opposed to only a segment of it; especially, provided by national or local authorities and supported by money from taxes. • Of a company: having shares of stock traded publicly, for example, through a stock market. • Pertaining to the people as a whole, as opposed to a group of people; concerning the whole community or country. • Officially representing the community; carried out or funded by the government or state on behalf of the community, rather than by a private organization. • Pertaining to a person in the capacity in which they deal with other people on a formal or official basis, as opposed to a personal or private capacity; official, professional. • Of an object: accessible to the program in general, not only to a class or subclass. • Pertaining to nations collectively, or to nations regarded as civilized; international, supernational. • Now chiefly in public spirit and public-spirited: seeking to further the best interests or well-being of the community or nation. • Now only in public figure: famous, prominent, well-known. • In some older universities in the United Kingdom: open or pertaining to the whole university, as opposed to a constituent college or an individual staff member or student. • Of or pertaining to the human race as a whole; common, universal. • Chiefly in make public: of a work: printed or otherwise published.