öffentlich

Öffentlich is a German adjective and adverb meaning "public" or "open to the public." It describes things intended for the general population or accessible to anyone, as opposed to private or restricted. The word is built from the base öffent- and the suffix -lich, yielding meanings such as public, societal, or outward-facing in contrast to private. It occurs in many expressions referring to non-private scope, space, or access.

In law and administration: öffentliches Recht, or public law, governs relations between the state and individuals, while öffentlich-rechtliche Rundfunk denotes state-funded broadcasting in several German-speaking countries. Die öffentliche Verwaltung refers to government administration that provides services to citizens. A site or facility that is öffentlich zugänglich is available for public use, without special authorization.

In everyday language and political discourse, öffentlich- is linked to concepts such as öffentliches Interesse (public interest), öffentlicher Raum (public space), and öffentliches Eigentum (state-owned property). The term also appears in social theory, notably in the notion of die Öffentlichkeit or public sphere, a space for rational debate among citizens, as discussed by Jürgen Habermas.

Usage notes: öffentlich is contrasted with privat (private) to mark accessibility, ownership, or scope. It is not synonymous with offiziell (official); the latter conveys formal status rather than the openness to the public.