(government) A position or occupation established by law or by the act of a government body, for the purpose of exercising the authority of the government in the service of the public.

plural of public officer

one who holds public office; an official or employee of the government.

(uncountable) The general welfare of the people; the best interests of the community. / (economics, countable) A good that is non-rivalrous and non-excludable.

(idiomatic, intransitive) To make something public; to announce publicly or to the press. / (idiomatic, intransitive, business, finance) To launch an initial public offering.

plural of vertical publication

(UK, Ireland, India) Certain private schools, particularly (initially) any grammar school operated apart from the personal lands of its students or (from the 19th century) the feepaying secondary schools which developed from or were modelled upon them; a British boarding school

A library provided essentially as a public service rather than as a commercial venture.

(law) The set of policies (laws, plans, actions, behaviors) of a government; plans and methods of action that govern that society; a system of laws, courses of action, and priorities directing a government action.

A national or regional holiday from work on a specific day, usually for cultural reasons or celebrations.