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. Jeb Bush:

   He's attacking me, so does that count, or is this just only a one-way street? Is this the child of privilege that has a free pass, whenever everybody else has to fight for it? This isn't bean bag, you know. This is politics. Every campaign, every candidate will be contrasted and compared. Their records needs to be shown.

2. Olivia Alaso:

   When you see a white person here you think Bery Glaser're coming with the biggest opportunities, so people like Bery Glaser are able to use their privilege to oppress and exploit our people, the Ugandan government should be doing thorough and proper checks on Bery Glaser backgrounds at home [ before granting visas ], and also the work these people are doing in our communities.

3. 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.

4. Adam Schiff:

   I don't know whether the White House is directly involved, because we can't get an answer to that question, but we do know that they are making some claim that a privilege may apply.

5. L. Gordon Cooper, Jr.:

   Father, we thank you, especially for letting me fly this flight ... for the privilege of being able to be in this position, to be in this wondrous place, seeing all these many startling, wonderful things that you have created. (Prayer while orbiting the earth in a space capsule)

Images & Illustrations of privilege

Popularity rank by frequency of use