/ Dictionary / Index P public defender: Meaning and Definition of Find definitions for: pub'lic defend'er Pronunciation: [key] a lawyer appointed or elected by a city or county as a full-time, official defender to represent indigents in criminal cases at public expense. Cf. Random House Unabridged Dictionary, Copyright © 1997, by Random House, Inc., on Infoplease. public debt public domain Related Content Daily Word Quiz: acerbity Analogy of the Day: Today’s Analogy Spelling Bee: Today’s Spelling Bee Frequently Misspelled Words Frequently Mispronounced Words Easily Confused Words Writing & Language