public servant

Definition from Wiktionary, a free dictionary

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Contents 1 English 1.1 Etymology 1.2 Noun 1.2.1 Synonyms 1.2.2 Translations

[edit] English

[edit] Etymology

The convict sense was one of several euphemisms for convicts, the Australian National Dictionary Centre (at the Australian National University) dates it to 1797, but by 1812 it had expanded to any government labourer.[1]

[edit] Noun

public servant (plural public servants)

1. A person employed by the government.
2. (Australian) (obsolete) (euphemism) In the days when Australia was a penal colony: a convict assigned to work on public projects.

[edit] Synonyms

• civil servant
• See convict for synonyms of that sense.

[edit] Translations