public health

noun

: the art and science dealing with the protection and improvement of community health by organized community effort and including preventive medicine and sanitary and social science

Examples of public health in a Sentence

a disease that poses a serious threat to public health She got her degree in public health. Public health officials warned of an influenza outbreak.
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.
This is an infuriating bait-and-switch case compounded by a gross disregard for public health and safety. — Christopher Elliott, Mercury News, 6 July 2026 As online prescribing has grown, clinicians and public health experts have raised concerns about the potential for lax virtual care practices to put patients at risk. — Katie Palmer, STAT, 6 July 2026 This label indicates a need for additional examination by a public health veterinarian. — Jen Christensen, CNN Money, 5 July 2026 Also in contention are Nirav Shah, a former public health official, and Shenna Bellows, the current Maine secretary of state. — Zachary Schermele, USA Today, 7 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for public health

Word History

First Known Use

1617, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of public health was in 1617

Rhymes for public health

See All Rhymes for public health

Browse Nearby Words

public funds
public health
public highway
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Cite this Entry

“Public health.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/public%20health. Accessed 8 Jul. 2026.

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Medical Definition

public health

noun
pub·​lic health ˌpəb-lik- How to pronounce public health (audio)
: the art and science dealing with the protection and improvement of community health by organized community effort and including preventive medicine and sanitary and social science

More from Merriam-Webster on public health

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about public health

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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