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Glite Dictionary
public lecture

public lecture

2 2.8
A talk on a subject that anyone can attend
  • noun
  • /ˈpʌblɪk ˈlɛkʧər/
: conferencia pública
  • Now, after that I took a plane to Madrid, where I also gave a public lecture, and that was on the philosophy of film.
  • give public lecture

This is, however, her first public lecture on breast cancer.

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Examples

  • I give a public lecture at Boston University.

  • The last stop on Grant's fund-raising tour, it's a public lecture hosted by some foundation.

    Fiction book (2001)

  • And I give a lot of public lectures as well.

    Gregory B. Sadler - That Philosophy Guy

  • So I remember once I was giving a public lecture, as I often do, and I was very fat at the time.

  • Efforts also continued in the form of public lectures.

    Academic text (2009)

  • This is, however, her first public lecture on breast cancer.

    Harvard University

  • I think it's our obligation as scientists to, to reach out to the public in the form of public lecture series.

    Big Think

  • This public lecture is one of a series that sponsored by the Math Department and the Stanford Math Research Center.

  • Several years ago, I attended a public lecture given by Ingrid Newkirk, co-founder of People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals.

    Academic text (1993)

  • Palmer will present a public lecture tonight at 7 P.M.

Synonyms

speech
vspublic lecture
  • Formal
∞ 1.8

A formal talk given to an audience to inform or persuade

is usually open to any interested audience rather than tightly formal events
presentation
vspublic lecture
451 3.5

To give information to a group using a talk or slides

is given openly to any audience rather than to a closed group
lecture
vspublic lecture
262 3.1

A talk that teaches people about a subject, often at a university

is open to any audience rather than limited or invited groups
address
vspublic lecture
  • Formal
250 5.3

A formal speech given to a group of people

is intended for general admission rather than only formal ceremonial occasions
talk
vspublic lecture
182 1.8

A speech given to an audience

is aimed at an open public audience rather than private or limited groups
oral presentation
vspublic lecture
4 3.4

A talk given to a group, often at school or work

is offered openly to anyone rather than mainly to academic evaluators
pres
vspublic lecture
  • Informal
1 8.2

A short talk given to a group at work or school

is intended for any attending audience rather than small invited circles
lection
vspublic lecture
  • Formal
9.9

A public talk given by a teacher or scholar to an audience

is meant for general open audiences rather than mainly scholarly ones

How Open

public lecture
2 2.8
seminar
197 3.7

Surface Forms

public lecture singular
public lectures plural

Morphology

public + lecture

The meaning 'a lecture open to anyone' is directly and compositionally derived from 'public' (open/accessible to everyone) + 'lecture' (a talk), so a B1 learner who knows both words can infer the intended sense. This ADJ+NOUN combination is a regular, non-idiomatic pattern found across languages, with no unexpected metaphorical shift.

Etymology

The phrase public lecture comes from the simple image of a speaker giving a talk in a place open to everyone: public means 'for the people' and lecture means 'a formal talk'. That's why a public lecture today is a talk that 'anyone may attend'.