publique

Publique is the feminine form of the French adjective public, used to describe things that pertain to the general population or to the state, rather than to private life. It commonly appears when the noun it modifies is feminine, with the masculine form being public. The plural forms are publics (masculine) and publiques (feminine). The word comes from Latin publicus through Old French and has long carried meanings related to the community, the state, and what concerns society as a whole.

In usage, publique appears in a range of contexts, especially with feminine nouns. Common examples include opinion publique (public opinion), sécurité publique (public safety), vie publique (public life), administration publique (public administration), health: santé publique (public health), and affaire publique (public matter). The distinction between a public sense and a private sense is often conveyed through the noun it accompanies rather than through the adjective alone.

Semantically, publique often signals official, collective, or societal relevance, as opposed to private or individual concern. It can refer to institutions and policies that serve the public interest, as in administration publique or bien public (a public good, though bien is masculine). The feminine form is also frequently found in sociopolitical discourse, journalism, law, and academic writing when describing topics tied to the public sphere.

See also: public, publique opinion, public administration, public policy.