Phrase guide

public policy

noun · 1 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • /pʌb.lɪk ˈpɔ.lɪ.si/
  • US: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.

1

noun

Meaning 1

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.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: countable, uncountable

Topics: law

Examples

  • 1993 Henry H. Perritt, Jr. "Knowbots, Permissions Headers and Contract Law", paper for the conference on Technological Strategies for Protecting Intellectual Property in the Networked Multimedia Environment "The licensee exceeding the use restrictions would argue that it violates public policy to enforce the restrictions and therefore that state contract law may not impose liability for their violation."

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

History

Etymology

No etymology was provided for this word.

Across languages

Translations

8 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Chinese Mandarin: 公共政策 (gōnggòng zhèngcè) — set of government policies
  • Finnish: yhteiskuntajärjestys — set of government policies
  • French: politique publique — set of government policies
  • Georgian: საჯარო პოლიტიკა (saǯaro ṗoliṭiḳa) — set of government policies
  • Icelandic: opinber stefna — set of government policies
  • Icelandic: allsherjarregla — set of government policies
  • Spanish: política pública — set of government policies
  • Thai: นโยบายสาธารณะ (ná-yoo-baai-sǎa-taa-rá-ná) — set of government policies