Question

what is the correct definition of the term public opinion

Answer 1

Public opinion consists of the desires, wants, and thinking of the majority of the people; it is the collective opinion of the people of a society or state on an issue or problem. The English term public opinion dates back to the 17th-century work by John Locke, An Essay Concerning Human Understanding, which contains an early consideration of the importance of public opinion in the ordering of politics. The term was derived from the French word l'opinion, which was first used in 1588 by Michel de Montaigne.[1]

Answer 2

Public Opinion means the collective opinion of many people on some issue , problem etc. especially as a guide to action , decision or the like .