Definitions for privilege
ˈprɪv ə lɪdʒ, ˈprɪv lɪdʒpriv·i·lege

Princeton's WordNet(2.50 / 6 votes)Rate this definition:

1. privilege(noun)

   a special advantage or immunity or benefit not enjoyed by all

2. prerogative, privilege, perquisite, exclusive right(noun)

   a right reserved exclusively by a particular person or group (especially a hereditary or official right)

   "suffrage was the prerogative of white adult males"

3. privilege(verb)

   (law) the right to refuse to divulge information obtained in a confidential relationship

4. privilege, favor, favour(verb)

   bestow a privilege upon

Wiktionary(5.00 / 1 vote)Rate this definition:

1. privilege(Noun)

   A peculiar benefit, advantage, or favor; a right or immunity not enjoyed by others or by all; special enjoyment of a good, or exemption from an evil or burden; a prerogative; advantage; franchise; preferential treatment.

   Etymology: From privilège, from privilegium, from privus + lex, legis.

2. privilege(Noun)

   The status or existence of such benefit or advantage.

   Etymology: From privilège, from privilegium, from privus + lex, legis.

3. privilege(Noun)

   A common law doctrine that protects certain communications from being used as evidence in court.

   Etymology: From privilège, from privilegium, from privus + lex, legis.

4. privilege(Verb)

   To grant some particular right or exemption to; to invest with a peculiar right or immunity; to authorize; as, to privilege representatives from arrest.

   Etymology: From privilège, from privilegium, from privus + lex, legis.

5. privilege(Verb)

   To bring or put into a condition of privilege or exemption from evil or danger; to exempt; to deliver.

   Etymology: From privilège, from privilegium, from privus + lex, legis.

Webster Dictionary(5.00 / 1 vote)Rate this definition:

1. Privilege(noun)

   a peculiar benefit, advantage, or favor; a right or immunity not enjoyed by others or by all; special enjoyment of a good, or exemption from an evil or burden; a prerogative; advantage; franchise

   Etymology: [Cf. F. privilgier.]

2. Privilege(noun)

   see Call, Put, Spread, etc

   Etymology: [Cf. F. privilgier.]

3. Privilege(verb)

   to grant some particular right or exemption to; to invest with a peculiar right or immunity; to authorize; as, to privilege representatives from arrest

   Etymology: [Cf. F. privilgier.]

4. Privilege(verb)

   to bring or put into a condition of privilege or exemption from evil or danger; to exempt; to deliver

   Etymology: [Cf. F. privilgier.]

Freebase(0.00 / 0 votes)Rate this definition:

1. Privilege

   A privilege is a special entitlement to immunity granted by the state or another authority to a restricted group, either by birth or on a conditional basis. It can be revoked in certain circumstances. In modern democratic states, a privilege is conditional and granted only after birth. By contrast, a right is an inherent, irrevocable entitlement held by all citizens or all human beings from the moment of birth. Various older privileges, such as the old common law privilege to title deeds, may still exist, but be of little relevance today. Etymologically a privilege means a "private law", or rule relating to a specific individual or institution. Boniface's abbey of Fulda, to cite an early and prominent example, was granted privilegium, setting the abbot in direct contact with the pope, bypassing the jurisdiction of the local bishop. One of the objectives of the French Revolution was the abolition of privilege. This meant the removal of separate laws for different social classes, instead subjecting everyone to the same common law. Privileges were abolished by the National Constituent Assembly on August 4, 1789. One common legal privilege in the United States is protection from the requirement to testify or provide documents in certain situations.

Chambers 20th Century Dictionary(0.00 / 0 votes)Rate this definition:

1. Privilege

   priv′i-lej, n. an advantage to an individual: a right enjoyed only by a few: freedom from burdens borne by others: prerogative: a sacred and vital civil right: (Shak.) superiority.—v.t. to grant a privilege to: to exempt: to authorise, license.—adj. Priv′ileged.—Breach of privilege, any interference with or slight done to the rights or privileges of a legislative body; Question of privilege, any question arising out of the rights of an assembly or of its members; Writ of privilege, an order for the release of a person from custody. [Fr.,—L. privilegium—privus, single, lex, legis, a law.]

British National Corpus

1. Nouns Frequency

   Rank popularity for the word 'privilege' in Nouns Frequency: #1553

How to pronounce privilege?

1. 

   Alex

   US English

   

   Daniel

   British

   

   Karen

   Australian

   

   Veena

   Indian

How to say privilege in sign language?

Numerology

1. Chaldean Numerology

   The numerical value of privilege in Chaldean Numerology is: 7

2. Pythagorean Numerology

   The numerical value of privilege in Pythagorean Numerology is: 4

Examples of privilege in a Sentence

1. Bob Hudgins:

   I've tried to use my white privilege to break down what's happening here to white folks, there's such a waste of human potential here. Young black people are held back because of the system.

2. Jay Sekulow:

   I have had the privilege to work with Jay Sekulow and can attest to Jay Sekulow skill, integrity and knowledge of the law. If selected by the President, he would make an outstanding White House counsel.

3. Heather Wilson:

   It has been a privilege to serve alongside our Airmen over the past two years and I am proud of the progress that we have made restoring our nation's defense. We have improved the readiness of Air Force ; we have cut years out of acquisition schedules and gotten better prices through competition ; we have repealed hundreds of superfluous regulations ; and we have strengthened our ability to deter and dominate in space, i very much appreciate the opportunity to have served. I remain a strong advocate for our nation's defense and an Airman for life.

4. Adam Schiff:

   House Intelligence Committee has, in a sense, hijacked what should have been an uncontroversial straightforward review of congressional transcripts to identify and redact any classified information, and attempted to expand it into an unsolicited after the fact review for information purportedly protected by executive privilege.

5. Jemele Hill:

   What I would say, though, is that they have the benefit of privilege to be able to distance and disassociate themselves from certain issues. Me, as a woman of color, I feel vulnerable to certain behaviors, certain policies and certain things that he’s said and done.

Images & Illustrations of privilege

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