public domain

noun

1
: land owned directly by the government
2
: the realm embracing property rights that belong to the community at large, are unprotected by copyright or patent, and are subject to appropriation by anyone

Examples of public domain in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web Currently, Microsoft Teams only supports official Unicode emoji — the standardized array of public domain emoji supported by most smartphones and social media platforms. Jess Weatherbed, The Verge, 21 May 2024 Spring is blooming Flowers are blooming just in time for National Walk to Work Day (April 5) (Credit: US Army photo, Rachel Larue, public domain, via Flickr Creative Commons). Bob Hirshon, Discover Magazine, 1 Apr. 2024 See all Example Sentences for public domain 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'public domain.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1819, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of public domain was in 1819

Dictionary Entries Near public domain

Cite this Entry

“Public domain.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/public%20domain. Accessed 2 Jun. 2024.

Legal Definition

public domain

noun
public do·​main
-dō-ˈmān
1
: land owned directly by the government
2
: the realm or status of property rights that belong to the community at large, are unprotected by copyright or patent, and are subject to appropriation by anyone

More from Merriam-Webster on public domain

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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