A public house, also known as a pub, is a drinking establishment licensed to serve alcoholic drinks for consumption on the premises. The term "public house" first appeared in the late 17th century and was used to differentiate private houses from those which were open to the public as alehouses, taverns, and inns. Today, there is no strict definition, but CAMRA (Campaign for Real Ale) states that a pub has four characteristics:

• Is open to the public without membership or residency
• Serves draught beer or cider without requiring food be consumed
• Has at least one indoor area not laid out for meals
• Allows drinks to be bought at a bar (i.e., not only table service)

The history of pubs can be traced back to taverns in Roman Britain and through Anglo-Saxon alehouses, but it was not until the early 19th century that pubs, as they are today, first began to appear. Public houses were considered socially superior to alehouses, beerhouses, and ginshops. In the UK, the definition of a public house has been debated for centuries, with the answer lying somewhere in a mixture of historical data, current liquor licensing law, and public perception. Pubs are found in English-speaking countries such as England, Wales, Ireland, Scotland, Canada, Australia, and the United States. In many places, especially in villages, pubs are the focal point of local communities.