privilege
Pluralprivileges
Verbprivileges, privileging, privileged
Pluralprivileges
Formsprivileges, privileging, privileged
- 1A special right or benefit that only some people have, but not everyone.
Like a special pass that lets only some people skip the line.
Members of the club enjoy the privilege of using the pool.
Getting a parking spot near the door felt like a real privilege.
Similarright, prerogative, immunity, franchise
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- 2The advantage that some people have in society simply because of who they are.
Like starting a race already halfway to the finish line because of where you were born.
He finally recognized the privilege he had grown up with.
Privilege can make it hard to see the struggles of others.
Similaradvantage
Oppositedisadvantage, deprivation
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- 3A rare and lucky chance to do something special.
Like winning a chance that very few people ever get.
Meeting the whole team was a real privilege for the young fans.
I had the privilege of watching the sunrise from the mountaintop.
Similarhonor, pleasure, opportunity, joy
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- 4A legal rule that keeps certain private talks from being used in court.
Like a locked drawer that the court is not allowed to open.
She claimed privilege to keep the emails out of the trial.
The lawyer said their conversation was protected by privilege.
Similarconfidentiality
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- 5Permission that lets a user do a certain action on a computer system.
Like a key that opens only the doors you are allowed to enter.
You need admin privilege to install new software on this machine.
The new account was given privilege to read the shared files.
Similarpermission
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- 6A special legal right held by a lawmaking body or its members.
Like a shield that protects lawmakers while they do their jobs.
Parliamentary privilege let the member speak freely without fear of a lawsuit.
The senator claimed privilege to avoid arrest during the session.
Similarimmunity
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- 7To treat something as more important than other things.
Like putting one thing at the front of the line ahead of the rest.
Editors should privilege clear writing over clever writing in manuals.
The curriculum privileges memorization over critical thinking.
Similarfavor, prioritize, prefer, foreground
Oppositemarginalize, subordinate, downplay
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- 8A release from certain church laws, given by the Pope.
Like getting a note from the top boss that lets you skip a rule.
The monastery held a special privilege granted by the Pope himself.
By privilege, the order was freed from the local bishop's authority.
Similardispensation, exemption
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Less common meanings
- 9To give someone a special right or freedom from a rule.
Like a king giving someone a special right that others do not have.
The king chose to privilege the town with the right to hold a market.
A royal charter privileged the guild above all the others.
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- 10To keep someone safe from harm, danger, or evil.
Like a shield that keeps danger away from you.
They believed the saint's blessing would privilege them from the plague.
No charm could privilege the village against the coming storm.
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- 11A type of stock market deal that gives the right to buy or sell shares.
Like paying a small fee now for the choice to buy something later at a set price.
The trader bought a privilege on the railroad stock that morning.
He made a tidy sum selling privileges before the panic hit.
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Showing meanings only.
Practice
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Origin
It comes from Latin prīvilēgium, a law about one person, made from prīvus meaning 'private' and lēx meaning 'law'. It reached English through French.