Princeton's WordNet(2.00 / 1 vote)Rate this definition:

1. privacy, privateness, seclusion(noun)

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

2. privacy, privateness, secrecy, concealment(noun)

   the condition of being concealed or hidden

Wiktionary(0.00 / 0 votes)Rate this definition:

1. privacy(Noun)

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

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

Webster Dictionary(0.00 / 0 votes)Rate this definition:

1. Privacy(noun)

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

2. Privacy(noun)

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

3. Privacy(noun)

   concealment of what is said or done

4. Privacy(noun)

   a private matter; a secret

5. Privacy(noun)

   see Privity, 2

Origin: [See Private.]

Freebase(0.00 / 0 votes)Rate this definition:

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(0.00 / 0 votes)Rate this definition:

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(0.00 / 0 votes)Rate this definition:

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)

British National Corpus

1. Nouns Frequency

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

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

Sample Sentences & Example Usage

1. Larry Flynt:

   Privacy no longer exists.

2. The Supreme Court:

   Privacy concerns give way.

3. Kenny Thompson:

   There's no privacy out here.

4. Ed Norton:

   This is a tragedy. Please give us some privacy.

5. Joseph Gonzalez:

   People might start to ask Google for more privacy.

Images & Illustrations of privacy

Popularity rank by frequency of use