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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
The actress recently made her directorial debut as part of Baena's public domain anthology Cinema Toast, which premiered on Showtime in 2021.
—Ryan Coleman, EW.com, 7 Jan. 2025
As Jenkins points out, many of the celebrated classics entering the public domain this year were themselves built atop other public domain works.
—Ellen Wexler, Smithsonian Magazine, 30 Dec. 2024
Reimaginings of classic literature, not surprisingly, were big — public domain, baby!
—Alexis Gunderson, Vulture, 8 Oct. 2024
Also, the original version of the character was actually introduced in a novella as 'Anthony Rogers' in 1928; that character has long been public domain as well.
—Rebecca Falconer, Axios, 26 Dec. 2024
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Word History
First Known Use
1819, in the meaning defined at sense 1
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Cite this Entry
“Public domain.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/public%20domain. Accessed 18 Jan. 2025.
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
Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about public domain
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