public domain

SEE SYNONYMS FOR public domain ON THESAURUS.COM

noun Law.

the status of a literary work or an invention whose copyright or patent has expired or that never had such protection.
land owned by the government.

Origin of public domain

An Americanism dating back to 1825–35

OTHER WORDS FROM public domain

pub·lic-do·main, adjective

Words nearby public domain

public company, public convenience, public corporation, public debt, public defender, public domain, public enemy, public enemy number one, public enterprise, public expenditure, public eye

British Dictionary definitions for public domain

public domain

noun

US lands owned by a state or by the federal government
the status of a published work or invention upon which the copyright or patent has expired or which has not been patented or subject to copyright. It may thus be freely used by the public
in the public domain able to be discussed and examined freely by the general public