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public domain

public domain

25 3.7
Things anyone can use or copy for free
  • noun
  • /ˈpʌblɪk dɪˈmeɪn/
  • Specialized
translation icon : dominio público
  • Now, these books are all in the public domain, so they're free.
  • artwork in the public domain
  • public domain photograph
  • entered the public domain

And, and you know, I know that my report was probably the first to really put that in the public domain to say here is a big issue.

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Examples

  • The text of the Guidance, which is in the public domain, is printed in full below.

    Academic text (1996)
  • As you know, public domain books are available now.

  • We're a public domain organization.

  • So he lived long enough to see some of his songs go into the public domain.

  • It's because when the work enters the public domain, all legal constraints over it disappear.

  • Some people argue that information in the public domain should not be patentable.

    Academic text (1996)
  • His book How to Trade in Stocks is in the public domain today, and anyone can read it to better understand how Livermore thought about markets.

  • You can find the freely available public domain texts on Stoicism or summarizing Stoicism which were compiled into this volume.

  • Many classic novels are now in the public domain, allowing readers to access them for free.

  • When a work enters the public domain, it becomes available for anyone to use without restrictions.

Antonyms

Things you can move, like cars or jewelry, that belong to one person, not land

How Open

public domain
  • Specialized
25 3.7
commons
  • Specialized
1 4.2
open-source
  • Specialized
51 3.7
data grid
  • Specialized
5.6
restricted
18 3.9
private
1.8

Surface Forms

public domain singular

Morphology

public + domain

The basic idea — something belonging to or available to the public — is directly derivable from 'public' (accessible to everyone) + 'domain' (an area or property), and many languages use a similar compound, so the core sense will be accessible to learners. However, the specific legal nuance about expired or inapplicable property rights (copyright/public ownership) is specialized and not fully predictable from the constituents alone, so full comprehension may require exposure.

Etymology

The noun public domain comes from the old idea of a domain as land or property that belonged to everyone in a town or country, and public meaning for the people. So when a work is in the public domain, it is 'free for anyone to use'.