# privilege

Pronunciation: say "PRIV-uh-lij" /ˈpɹɪv(ɪ)lɪd͡ʒ/

## Noun

1. A particular benefit, advantage, or right enjoyed by some but not others; preferential treatment.
   - Simple: A special right or benefit that only some people have, but not everyone.
   - _Diplomatic privilege allowed her to bypass the usual customs checks._
   - _Season-ticket holders are granted privileges that casual visitors never receive._
2. The condition of being privileged; the social or economic advantage that some people hold within a given society.
   - Simple: The advantage that some people have in society simply because of who they are.
   - _The author writes candidly about her own privilege and how it shaped her career._
   - _Debates about privilege often focus on who benefits from existing systems._
3. A rare and fortunate chance to do something, or the good luck of being able to do it.
   - Simple: A rare and lucky chance to do something special.
   - _Few people get the privilege of seeing a total solar eclipse twice._
   - _Performing at the festival was a privilege she never expected._
4. A common law doctrine that shields certain communications, such as those between a lawyer and client, from use as evidence in court.
   - Simple: A legal rule that keeps certain private talks from being used in court.
   - _The defense invoked privilege to exclude the client's confidential letters._
   - _Attorney-client privilege prevented the prosecutor from accessing those notes._
5. An ability to perform a particular action on a system, which can be granted or denied to individual users.
   - Simple: Permission that lets a user do a certain action on a computer system.
   - _The administrator revoked his privilege to modify the database._
   - _Each user account is assigned privileges based on its role._
6. The set of rights and legal immunities held by a legislature and the people who serve in it.
   - Simple: A special legal right held by a lawmaking body or its members.
   - _Legislative privilege protects members from being sued over remarks made in debate._
   - _She invoked privilege to refuse the court's summons while the house was sitting._
8. A papal exemption releasing a person or institution from the obligation of certain laws.
   - Simple: A release from certain church laws, given by the Pope.
   - _The abbey secured a privilege exempting it from the usual tithes._
   - _Several friars traveled to Rome to obtain a privilege for their new house._

## Verb

7. To give something greater importance or priority over other things.
   - Simple: To treat something as more important than other things.
   - _Reviewers should privilege accuracy above novelty when assessing a study._
   - _Modern hiring often privileges experience above formal qualifications._

## Verb

9. To grant a particular right, immunity, or authority to a person or body. *(archaic)*
   - Simple: To give someone a special right or freedom from a rule.
   - _The crown moved to privilege certain merchants with exclusive trading rights._
   - _Ancient charters privileged the abbey to collect tolls on the bridge._
10. To bring into a condition of protection from evil or danger; to exempt or deliver from harm. *(archaic)*
   - Simple: To keep someone safe from harm, danger, or evil.
   - _The old prayer was thought to privilege the faithful from sudden death._
   - _No rank could privilege a man from the judgment that awaited everyone._

## Noun

11. A stock market option; a contract granting the right to buy or sell a security at a set price. *(archaic, US)*
   - Simple: A type of stock market deal that gives the right to buy or sell shares.
   - _The broker offered his client a privilege on the cotton futures._
   - _He cleared his losses by exercising a privilege at exactly the right moment._

## Origin

From Middle English privilege, borrowed via Anglo-Norman and Old French privilege from Latin prīvilēgium, 'an ordinance or law against or in favor of an individual,' which was formed from prīvus ('private') plus lēx, lēg- ('law').

Source: DictionaryAI, https://dictionaryai.com/define/privilege (written from Wiktionary data, CC BY-SA 4.0: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/).