LexBrew
Spelling Entry 1359 / 1605 60-second read

Publicly vs. Publically

The standard adverb has only one form.

The comparisoni

✗ Wrong

She publically apologised.

✓ Correct

She publicly apologised — PUBLICLY is the only correct spelling. PUBLICALLY is a common error, never accepted by dictionaries.

The ruleii

PUBLICLY only.

Most -IC adjectives form -ICALLY adverbs (basic → basically, dramatic → dramatically). PUBLIC breaks the pattern: PUBLICLY drops the -AL. PUBLICALLY appears often online but no major dictionary lists it. A peculiar exception worth memorising.

Memory aidiii

Remember it like this

Public + LY. No AL.

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