public authority

noun

Any authority which has a legal mandate to govern, administrate a part or aspect of public life, such as all branches of the executive power of a state, province, municipality etc.

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Meanings

nounpublic authority (plural public authorities)

plural public authorities

  1. Any authority which has a legal mandate to govern, administrate a part or aspect of public life, such as all branches of the executive power of a state, province, municipality etc.
  2. In a wider sense also various chartered organisations holding their authority from the above without being run by public officials
Cite this entry
APA

public authority. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/public%20authority

MLA

“public authority.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/public%20authority. Accessed November 4, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “public authority,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/public%20authority.

Source: public authority on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.