public debt
10
3.9
- noun
- /ˈpʌblɪk dɛt/
- Specialized
:
deuda pública
- This is an accurate graph of the public debt of the US Treasury.
- external public debt
- domestic public debt
- public debt to GDP
Their ageing population, low growth and high public debt.
- Their ageing population, low growth and high public debt.
- The government today has to spend more and more of its income on the interest payment to bondholders of its public debt.
Examples
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How in the world can we keep adding a trillion dollars to our public debt every three months?
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The financial reports for 1997 in the federal system confirmed that public debt was accelerating rapidly.
Academic text (1998) -
We find that the main driving force behind the public debt is the intergenerational transmission of the tax burden.
Academic text (2018) -
After all, America's public debt is now approaching 100 percent of GDP.
Academic text (2011) -
Meanwhile, the U.S. government will emit vast quantities of public debt for the foreseeable future.
Academic text (2009) -
The government needs to find ways to reduce the national public debt that has grown significantly over the years.
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A high level of public debt can limit a country's ability to invest in infrastructure and services.
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Many experts believe that managing public debt is crucial for ensuring economic stability.
Surface Forms
Morphology
The meaning 'the amount of money owed by the government or public authorities' is directly composed from 'public' (belonging to the public/state) + 'debt' (money owed). This adj+noun combination follows a common, literal compositional pattern found across many languages, so a B1 learner who knows both words can readily infer the MWE's meaning.
Etymology
Public debt comes from two simple words: public meaning 'of the people' and debt meaning 'money owed'. Governments borrow money for things like roads and schools, and that money is 'owed by the government' and often 'paid back' by taxes, so public debt means the total money the government owes.