John Q. Public

noun

variants or less commonly John Q. or John Q. Citizen
1
: a member of the public or the community : person, citizen
just another John Q. Citizen on the road—Springfield (Massachusetts) Union
2
: the public or the community personified
Mr. and Mrs. John Q. Public suffered no great deprivations—Domestic Commerce

Word History

Etymology

from the name John + the initial Q. + public or citizen

First Known Use

1937, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of John Q. Public was in 1937

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Dictionary Entries Near John Q. Public

John Paul

John Q. Public

Johns

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Cite this Entry

“John Q. Public.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/John%20Q.%20Public. Accessed 29 Nov. 2024.

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