Standard Lemma guide

publicly

adv · 4 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.

  • /ˈpʌblɪkli/
  • US: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • CMU ARPABET: P AH1 B L IH0 K L IY0 Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.

1

adv

Meaning 1

In public, openly, in an open and public manner.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Examples

  • criticize someone publicly
  • publicly announce something

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

adv

Meaning 2

By, for, or on behalf of the public.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Examples

  • publicly available

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

3

adverb

Meaning 3

in a manner accessible to or observable by the public; openly

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • she admitted publicly to being a communist

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: publically, in public

Antonyms: privately

4

adverb

Meaning 4

by the public or the people generally

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • publicly provided medical care
  • publicly financed schools

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: privately

History

Etymology

Etymology tree English public Proto-Indo-European *leyg-der. Proto-Germanic *līkąder. Proto-Germanic *-līkaz Proto-Germanic *-ê Proto-Germanic *-līkê Proto-West Germanic *-līkē Old English -līċe Middle English -ly English -ly English publicly From public + -ly.

Across languages

Translations

47 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Arabic: عَلَانِيَةً (ʕalāniyatan) — in an open and public manner — see also in public
  • Arabic: عَلَنًا (ʕalanan) — in an open and public manner — see also in public
  • Azerbaijani: açıqca — in an open and public manner — see also in public
  • Azerbaijani: ələnən — in an open and public manner — see also in public
  • Bulgarian: открито (otkrito) — in an open and public manner — see also in public
  • Bulgarian: публично (publično) — in an open and public manner — see also in public
  • Catalan: públicament — in an open and public manner — see also in public
  • Chinese Mandarin: 公開地 /公开地 (gōngkāi de) — in an open and public manner — see also in public
  • Cornish: yn poblek — in an open and public manner — see also in public
  • Czech: veřejně — in an open and public manner — see also in public
  • Finnish: julkisesti — in an open and public manner — see also in public
  • French: publiquement — in an open and public manner — see also in public
  • Galician: publicamente — in an open and public manner — see also in public
  • German: öffentlich — in an open and public manner — see also in public
  • Greek: δημόσια (dimósia) — in an open and public manner — see also in public
  • Hindi: सरेआम (sareām) — in an open and public manner — see also in public
  • Hindi: खुलेआम (khuleām) — in an open and public manner — see also in public
  • Hungarian: nyilvánosan — in an open and public manner — see also in public
  • Irish: os ard — in an open and public manner — see also in public
  • Italian: pubblicamente — in an open and public manner — see also in public
  • Latin: pūblicē — in an open and public manner — see also in public
  • Latin: cōram — in an open and public manner — see also in public
  • Norman: publyiquement — in an open and public manner — see also in public
  • Occitan: publicament — in an open and public manner — see also in public
  • Old English: openlīċe — in an open and public manner — see also in public
  • Persian: علنا (alanan) — in an open and public manner — see also in public
  • Persian: رویراست (rôy-e-râst) — in an open and public manner — see also in public
  • Persian: آشکارا (âškârâ) — in an open and public manner — see also in public
  • Polish: publicznie — in an open and public manner — see also in public
  • Portuguese: publicamente — in an open and public manner — see also in public
  • Russian: обще́ственно (obščéstvenno) — in an open and public manner — see also in public
  • Russian: публи́чно (publíčno) — in an open and public manner — see also in public
  • Russian: при всех (pri vsex) — in an open and public manner — see also in public
  • Scottish Gaelic: gu poblach — in an open and public manner — see also in public
  • Spanish: públicamente — in an open and public manner — see also in public
  • Swedish: publikt — in an open and public manner — see also in public
  • Swedish: offentligt — in an open and public manner — see also in public
  • Tajik: аланан (alanan) — in an open and public manner — see also in public
  • Tajik: рӯирост (rüyirost) — in an open and public manner — see also in public
  • Tajik: баръало (bar'alo) — in an open and public manner — see also in public
  • Tajik: баръалоина (bar'aloyina) — in an open and public manner — see also in public
  • Tajik: ошкоро (oškoro) — in an open and public manner — see also in public
  • Tocharian B: eṅkaucar — in an open and public manner — see also in public
  • Turkish: alenen — in an open and public manner — see also in public
  • Turkish: açıkça — in an open and public manner — see also in public
  • Turkish: aşikâre — in an open and public manner — see also in public
  • Ukrainian: публі́чно (publíčno) — in an open and public manner — see also in public
Real reading context

publicly in complete knowledge articles