public office

pub·lic·o·ffice
US/ˈpʌblɪk ˈɔfɪs/UK/ˈpʌblɪk ˈɒfɪs/

noun

A position or occupation established by law or by the act of a government body, for the purpose of exercising the authority of the government in the service of the public.

“My son finished law last month, and now aspires to public office.”

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Meanings

nounpublic office (countable and uncountable, plural public offices)

plural public offices

  1. countableuncountablegovernmentA position or occupation established by law or by the act of a government body, for the purpose of exercising the authority of the government in the service of the public.

    My son finished law last month, and now aspires to public office.

Origin

From public + office.

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Chinese Mandarin 公職 /公职
  • 公職 /公职 (gōngzhí)government position
Finnish virka
  • virkagovernment position
German Staatsamt
  • Staatsamtgovernment position
Indonesian pejabat publik
  • pejabat publikgovernment position
Japanese 公職
  • 公職government position
Korean 공직
  • 공직 (gongjik)government position
Malay jawatan awam
  • jawatan awamgovernment position
Polish urząd
  • urządgovernment position
Cite this entry
APA

public office. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/public%20office

MLA

“public office.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/public%20office. Accessed November 5, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “public office,” accessed November 5, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/public%20office.

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