pubbliche

Pubbliche is the feminine plural form of the Italian adjective pubblico, meaning “public” or “belonging to the public.” It is used to modify feminine plural nouns, as in strutture pubbliche (public structures) or amministrazioni pubbliche (public administrations). In contrast, the masculine plural form is pubblici, as in servizi pubblici (public services). Because it is an adjective, pubbliche agrees in gender and number with the noun it describes.

Originating from Latin publicus, the Italian form pubblico developed along standard patterns of agreement for adjectives. Pubbliche, in particular, appears in contexts where the modified noun is feminine and plural.

Usage and contexts: pubbliche appears across domains such as governance, urban planning, law, journalism, and sociology, typically within noun phrases that refer to the public realm, the public sector, or publicly owned entities. Common examples include opere pubbliche (public works), amministrazioni pubbliche (public administrations), and finanza pubblica (public finance). The term is often contrasted with privato (private) or with the broader concept of the pubblico (the public, as a collective).

Notes: pubbliche does not function as a standalone noun in standard Italian; it remains an adjective that modifies a following feminine plural noun. Its precise meaning depends on the noun it describes, ranging from public infrastructure to public sector activities, depending on context.