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
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/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