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.
Diversifying sourcing across a wider geography mitigates threats from climate change and public health crises, not only geopolitical risk. — Chad P. Bown, Foreign Affairs, 1 Sep. 2026 Collapsed healthcare The doctor also painted a daunting portrait of the current state of public health services in Cuba. — Nora Gámez Torres, Miami Herald, 31 Aug. 2026 Emily Harrison is a historian of science and public health at Wellesley College. — Emily Harrison, STAT, 31 Aug. 2026 Typhoid is a significant public health problem in Africa and South Asia. — Kimberly Baker, The Conversation, 31 Aug. 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

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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 2 Sep. 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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