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

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

1. privilegenoun

   a special advantage or immunity or benefit not enjoyed by all

2. prerogative, privilege, perquisite, exclusive rightnoun

   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. privilegeverb

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

4. privilege, favor, favourverb

   bestow a privilege upon

Wiktionary(5.00 / 1 vote)Rate this definition:

1. privilegenoun

   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. privilegenoun

   The status or existence of such benefit or advantage.

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

3. privilegenoun

   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. privilegeverb

   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. privilegeverb

   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. Privilegenoun

   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. Privilegenoun

   see Call, Put, Spread, etc

   Etymology: [Cf. F. privilgier.]

3. Privilegeverb

   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. Privilegeverb

   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.]

Matched Categories

1. • Advantage
   • Permit

British National Corpus

1. Nouns Frequency

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

How to pronounce privilege?

1. Alex

   US English

   David

   US English

   Mark

   US English

   Daniel

   British

   Libby

   British

   Mia

   British

   Karen

   Australian

   Hayley

   Australian

   Natasha

   Australian

   Veena

   Indian

   Priya

   Indian

   Neerja

   Indian

   Zira

   US English

   Oliver

   British

   Wendy

   British

   Fred

   US English

   Tessa

   South African

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. Philippe Jeandet:

   I'm sure there are people that are ready to spend a lot of money to have the privilege of saying to their friends, 'I put on the table a bottle that has been aged 10 years at the bottom of the Mediterranean Sea,'.

2. Southeast Asia.WateRoam CEO David Pong:

   We've been very blessed to have access to clean drinking water, it's a privilege that we should be able to bring forth to the rest of the region, and advocate that clean water is an essential aspect for life on earth.

3. Ann Wright:

   People who have privilege - I'm a white woman, I'm a retired lieutenant colonel - have to do this because we can.

4. Earl Warren:

   I'm very pleased with each advancing year. It stems back to when I was forty. I was a bit upset about reaching that milestone, but an older friend consoled me. 'Don't complain about growing old - many, many people do not have that privilege.'

5. Clare Bronfman:

   Your honor, I was afforded a great gift by my grandfather and father, with the gift, comes immense privilege and more importantly, tremendous responsibility. It does not come with an ability to break the law.

Images & Illustrations of privilege

Popularity rank by frequency of use