public interest: Meaning and Definition of

pub'lic in'terest

Pronunciation: [key]
  1. the welfare or well-being of the general public; commonwealth: health programs that directly affect the public interest.
  2. appeal or relevance to the general populace: a news story of public interest.
Random House Unabridged Dictionary, Copyright © 1997, by Random House, Inc., on Infoplease.