Phrase guide

public works

noun · 2 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

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No pronunciation record was provided for this word.

1

noun

Meaning 1

Technical projects, often construction or engineering, carried out by the government on behalf of the community.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: plural, plural-only

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

noun

Meaning 2

structures (such as highways or schools or bridges or docks) constructed at government expense for public use

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: structure, construction

History

Etymology

No etymology was provided for this word.

Across languages

Translations

9 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Catalan: obra pública — projects carried out by the government
  • Galician: obra pública — projects carried out by the government
  • Indonesian: pekerjaan umum — projects carried out by the government
  • Japanese: 土木 (doboku) — projects carried out by the government
  • Latin: opera publica — projects carried out by the government
  • Malay: kerja awam — projects carried out by the government
  • Spanish: obra pública — projects carried out by the government
  • Tagalog: pagawaing-bayan — projects carried out by the government
  • Vietnamese: công chính — projects carried out by the government