publican
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publican¹
- /ˈpʌblɪk(ə)n/ UK
- /ˈpʌblək(ə)n/ US
Rhymes with -ʌblɪkən
Where it comes from
Probably from public house (“(Britain) bar or tavern, often also selling food and sometimes lodging, pub”) or public (“open to all members of a community”) + -an (suffix forming agent nouns), apparently originally used humorously.
noun publicans
-
The landlord (manager or owner) of a public house (“a bar or tavern, often also selling food and sometimes lodging; a pub”).
I went into a public-'ouse to get a pint o' beer, / The publican 'e up an 'sez, 'We serve no red-coats here.'
Similar: ale-draper, alekeep, alekeeper, licensed victualler, licensee, bung, taverner, tavernkeep, tavernkeeper
-
The manager or owner of a hotel.
Similar: hotelier
publican²
- /ˈpʌblɪk(ə)n/ UK
- /ˈpʌblək(ə)n/ US
Rhymes with -ʌblɪkən
Where it comes from
From Middle English publican [and other forms], from Anglo-Norman publican, pupplican, Middle French publicain, and Old French publican, publicain, pupplican (“tax collector”) (modern French publicain), and from their etymon Latin pūblicānus (“tax collector”), from pūblicum (“state revenue”) + -ānus (suffix meaning ‘of or pertaining to’, usually indicating relationships of origin, position, or possession). Pūblicum is a noun use of the neuter form of pūblicus (“of or belonging to the people, state, or community; general, public”), ultimately from Proto-Italic *poplos (“army”).
Sense 3.2 (“person excommunicated from the church; person who does not follow a Christian religion”) refers to Matthew 18:17 of the Bible: see the King James Version quotation under sense 1.
Cognates
* Catalan publicà
* Italian pubblicano
* Middle Dutch publicaen, puppilicaen, pupplicaen (modern Dutch publicaan (obsolete), publikaan)
* Middle High German publicān, publicāne (early modern German Publican).
* Middle Low German pūblicān
* Old Occitan publican, puplican
* Portuguese publicano
* Spanish publicano
noun publicans · publicane · puplican
- A tax collector, especially one working in Judea and Galilee during New Testament times (1st century C.E.) who was generally regarded as sinful for extorting more tax than was due, and as a traitor for serving the Roman Empire. Matthevv vvhiche vvas other vvyſe alſo called Leui, beyng of a Puplican made an Apoſtle, firſt of all others compoſed and vvrote in Jevvrye, the ghoſpell of Chriſte in the Hebrue tounge, […]
- Any person who collects customs duties, taxes, tolls, or other forms of public revenue. Another ſort there be vvho vvhen they hear that all things ſhall be order'd, all things regulated and ſetl'd; nothing vvritt'n but vvhat paſſes through the cuſtom-houſe of certain Publicans that have the tunaging and the poundaging of all free ſpok'n truth, vvill ſtrait give themſelvs up into your h
- One regarded as extorting money from others by charging high prices.
- A person excommunicated from the church; an excommunicant or excommunicate; also, a person who does not follow a Christian religion; a heathen, a pagan.
Publican³
Where it comes from
Perhaps from Paulician.
noun Publicans
-
Synonym of Arnoldist.
Similar: Arnoldist
Translations
Every language
noun landlord of a public house
| Français | patron de bistro, patronne de bistro, bistrot |
|---|---|
| Deutsch | Wirt, Schankwirt, Gastwirt, Kneipenwirt |
| Italiano | barista, bettoliere, oste, ostessa, taverniere, taverniera |
| Русский | каба́тчик kabátčik, корчма́рь korčmárʹ, шинка́рь šinkárʹ |
| العربية | دِهْقَان dihqān, دُهْقَان duhqān, دِهْقَانَة dihqāna |
Talk about this word "publican." Wiktionary, via Micwyn, micwyn.com/word/publican. Accessed 6 Nov. 2026. publican. (n.d.). In Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Retrieved November 6, 2026, from https://micwyn.com/word/publican "publican." Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Accessed November 6, 2026. https://micwyn.com/word/publican.Cite this
@misc{publican_2026,
title = {publican},
howpublished = {Wiktionary, via Micwyn},
year = {2026},
url = {https://micwyn.com/word/publican},
urldate = {2026-11-06}
}
