public school

noun

1
: an endowed secondary boarding school in Great Britain offering a classical curriculum and preparation for the universities or public service
2
: a free tax-supported school controlled by a local governmental authority

Examples of public school in a Sentence

Both of their sons attend public school.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
By then, Valdes and her brothers were attending public schools in West Palm Beach, a right undocumented children have because of a supreme court ruling which passed narrowly in the early ‘80s. Clara-Sophia Daly, Miami Herald, 7 June 2025 Two of the least powerful groups threatened by the current climate of repression are public school teachers and their students, children who may never even realize what they have been kept from learning. Jane S. Smith, Chicago Tribune, 6 June 2025 Thank God for the teachers and public schools who have served this country well for 240 years and supply educational opportunities for all children, regardless of color, ethnicity, wealth or learning handicaps. U T Readers, San Diego Union-Tribune, 4 June 2025 All New York City public schools will receive at least as much funding for the upcoming school year as their initial budgets last fall, Mayor Adams announced Wednesday evening as his Democratic challengers took the stage for the first mayoral debate. Cayla Bamberger, New York Daily News, 4 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for public school

Word History

First Known Use

1548, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of public school was in 1548

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Cite this Entry

“Public school.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/public%20school. Accessed 13 Jun. 2025.

Kids Definition

public school

noun
1
: a British private school that gives a liberal education and prepares students for the universities
2
: an elementary or secondary school supported by taxes and operated by a local government
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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