publicness en · NOUN
Etymology
Etymology tree English public Proto-Germanic *-inōną Proto-Indo-European *-dyé- Proto-Germanic *-atjaną Proto-Indo-European *-tus Proto-Germanic *-þuz Proto-Germanic *-assuz Proto-Germanic *-inassuz Proto-West Germanic *-nassī Old English -nes Middle English -nesse English -ness English publicness From public + -ness.
Meanings
-
(uncountable) The quality or state of being public.
“The publicness of the public library is an increasingly rare commodity. It becomes harder all the time to think of places that welcome everyone and don't charge any money for that warm embrace. The commitment to inclusion is so powerful that many decisions about the library hinge on whether or not a particular choice would cause a subset of the public to feel uninvited.”
2018, Susan Orlean, chapter 6, in The Library Book:
Forms
| Spelling | Features | Labels | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| publickness | alternative | lexicographic |