What does privacy mean?

Definitions for privacy
ˈpraɪ və si; Brit. also ˈprɪv ə sipri·va·cy

This dictionary definitions page includes all the possible meanings, example usage and translations of the word privacy.

Princeton's WordNet

  1. privacy, privateness, seclusionnoun

    the quality of being secluded from the presence or view of others

  2. privacy, privateness, secrecy, concealmentnoun

    the condition of being concealed or hidden

Wiktionary

  1. privacynoun

    The state of being private; the state of not being seen by others.

    I need my privacy, so please mind your own frigging business!

Samuel Johnson's Dictionary

  1. Privacynoun

    Etymology: from private.

    Clamours our privacies uneasy make,
    Birds leave their nests disturb’d, and beasts their haunts forsake. Dryden.

    You see Frog is religiously true to his bargain, scorns to hearken to any composition without your privacy. Arbuthnot.

Wikipedia

  1. Privacy

    Privacy (UK: , US: ) is the ability of an individual or group to seclude themselves or information about themselves, and thereby express themselves selectively. Etymology of the word privacy: the word privacy is derived from the Latin word "privatus" which means set apart from what is public, personal and belonging to oneself, and not to the state.The domain of privacy partially overlaps with security, which can include the concepts of appropriate use and protection of information. Privacy may also take the form of bodily integrity. The right not to be subjected to unsanctioned invasions of privacy by the government, corporations, or individuals is part of many countries' privacy laws, and in some cases, constitutions. The concept of universal individual privacy is a modern concept primarily associated with Western culture, particularly British and North American, and remained virtually unknown in some cultures until recent times. Now, most cultures recognize the ability of individuals to withhold certain parts of personal information from wider society. With the rise of technology, the debate regarding privacy has shifted from a bodily sense to a digital sense. As the world has become digital, there have been conflicts regarding the legal right to privacy and where it is applicable. In most countries, the right to a reasonable expectation to digital privacy has been extended from the original right to privacy, and many countries, notably the US, under its agency, the Federal Trade Commission, and those within the European Union (EU), have passed acts that further protect digital privacy from public and private entities and grant additional rights to users of technology. With the rise of the Internet, there has been an increase in the prevalence of social bots, causing political polarization and harassment. Online harassment has also spiked, particularly with teenagers, which has consequently resulted in multiple privacy breaches. Selfie culture, the prominence of networks like Facebook and Instagram, location technology, and the use of advertisements and their tracking methods also pose threats to digital privacy. Through the rise of technology and immensity of the debate regarding privacy, there have been various conceptions of privacy, which include the right to be let alone as defined in "The Right to Privacy", the first U.S. publication discussing privacy as a legal right, to the theory of the privacy paradox, which describes the notion that users' online may say they are concerned about their privacy, but in reality, are not. Along with various understandings of privacy, there are actions that reduce privacy, the most recent classification includes processing of information, sharing information, and invading personal space to get private information, as defined by Daniel J. Solove. Conversely, in order to protect a user's privacy, multiple steps can be taken, specifically through practicing encryption, anonymity, and taking further measures to bolster the security of their data.

ChatGPT

  1. privacy

    Privacy is a state or condition of being free from being observed or disturbed by other people. It pertains to the individual's right to keep their personal matters and information undisclosed or secret, protecting one's personal details, behaviors, communications, or preferences from public view or unauthorized access. It can also relate to issues of confidentiality, anonymity, and data protection within both physical and digital spaces.

Webster Dictionary

  1. Privacynoun

    the state of being in retirement from the company or observation of others; seclusion

  2. Privacynoun

    a place of seclusion from company or observation; retreat; solitude; retirement

  3. Privacynoun

    concealment of what is said or done

  4. Privacynoun

    a private matter; a secret

  5. Privacynoun

    see Privity, 2

  6. Etymology: [See Private.]

Wikidata

  1. Privacy

    Privacy is the ability of an individual or group to seclude themselves or information about themselves and thereby reveal themselves selectively. The boundaries and content of what is considered private differ among cultures and individuals, but share basic common themes. Privacy is sometimes related to anonymity, the wish to remain unnoticed or unidentified in the public realm. When something is private to a person, it usually means there is something within them that is considered inherently special or personally sensitive. The degree to which private information is exposed therefore depends on how the public will receive this information, which differs between places and over time. Privacy partially intersects security, including for instance the concepts of appropriate use, as well as protection of information. Privacy may also take the form of bodily integrity. The right not to be subjected to unsanctioned invasion of privacy by the government, corporations or individuals is part of many countries' privacy laws, and in some cases, constitutions. Almost all countries have laws which in some way limit privacy; an example of this would be law concerning taxation, which normally require the sharing of information about personal income or earnings. In some countries individual privacy may conflict with freedom of speech laws and some laws may require public disclosure of information which would be considered private in other countries and cultures. Privacy may be voluntarily sacrificed, normally in exchange for perceived benefits and very often with specific dangers and losses, although this is a very strategic view of human relationships. Academics who are economists, evolutionary theorists, and research psychologists describe revealing privacy as a 'voluntary sacrifice', for instance by willing participants in sweepstakes or competitions. In the business world, a person may volunteer personal details in order to gamble on winning a prize. Personal information which is voluntarily shared but subsequently stolen or misused can lead to identity theft.

Chambers 20th Century Dictionary

  1. Privacy

    prī′va-si, or priv′-, n. state of being private or retired from company or observation: a place of seclusion: retreat: retirement: secrecy.

U.S. National Library of Medicine

  1. Privacy

    The state of being free from intrusion or disturbance in one's private life or affairs. (Random House Unabridged Dictionary, 2d ed, 1993)

Editors Contribution

  1. privacy

    Having our private life respected.

    Their privacy was important to them both.


    Submitted by MaryC on January 10, 2020  


  2. privacy

    The official right for a person to control and manage with personal authority the access to their personal data, information, computers, laptops, apps, server, devices, network, online accounts or handheld device.

    Privacy in life is a legislative right as our life is our privacy, we have freedom of expression and have the right to privacy.


    Submitted by MaryC on April 12, 2020  

Matched Categories

British National Corpus

  1. Nouns Frequency

    Rank popularity for the word 'privacy' in Nouns Frequency: #2893

How to pronounce privacy?

How to say privacy in sign language?

Numerology

  1. Chaldean Numerology

    The numerical value of privacy in Chaldean Numerology is: 4

  2. Pythagorean Numerology

    The numerical value of privacy in Pythagorean Numerology is: 4

Examples of privacy in a Sentence

  1. Joseph Cannataci:

    I don't care who you buy it from ... You should not assume that the vendor you are buying from is to be trusted. You should carry out your privacy impact assessment.

  2. Riana Pfefferkorn:

    It would be a significant move in favor of user privacy if Twitter were to turn on [ end-to-end encryption ] for Twitter DMs, as it would keep the company from reading its users' conversations or disclosing them to anyone else, for the company to tie its own hands in this way would prevent a bad actor within the company from abusing the access Twitter DMs have as an employee to user data.

  3. Andrew Beckwith:

    The 'bathroom bill' will force women to undress or shower in the presence of men, this violates a fundamental right to personal privacy.

  4. Dean Hall:

    Our family asks for privacy during this difficult time.

  5. Shoshana Zuboff:

    The debate around social media has changed beyond recognition since those early days. To say it hasn't always been easy is an understatement, but it should be hard. The products we make have a huge impact, so we have the responsibility to build them in a way that protects privacy and keeps people safe.

Popularity rank by frequency of use

privacy#1#175#10000

Translations for privacy

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"privacy." Definitions.net. STANDS4 LLC, 2024. Web. 16 Apr. 2024. <https://www.definitions.net/definition/privacy>.

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