privately

UK: /ˈpraɪvətli/

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2025

pri•vate /ˈpraɪvɪt/   adj. 

1. belonging to some particular person or persons:
   [before a noun] private property.
2. of or relating to a particular person or a small group of persons:
   [before a noun] for your private enjoyment.
3. intended only for the person or persons concerned;
   personal:
   a private paper.
4. not holding public office or employment;
   not of an official or public character:
   [before a noun] private citizens.
5. working as an independent agent:
   [before a noun] a private detective.
6. not open to the general public:
   a private beach.
7. preferring privacy:
   She's a very private person.
8. not funded by public sources or agencies:
   [before a noun] a small, private Catholic school.

n. [countable]

9. a soldier of the lowest enlisted ranks.
10. privates, private parts.

Idioms

11. Idioms in private, not publicly;
    secretly:
    We met in private.

pri•vate•ly, adv.: 

Publicly she said one thing, but privately she went around saying just the opposite.

See -priv-.

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2025

pri•vate  (prī′vit), adj. 

1. belonging to some particular person:
   private property.
2. pertaining to or affecting a particular person or a small group of persons;
   individual;
   personal:
   for your private satisfaction.
3. confined to or intended only for the persons immediately concerned;
   confidential:
   a private meeting.
4. personal and not publicly expressed:
   one's private feelings.
5. not holding public office or employment:
   private citizens.
6. not of an official or public character:
   private life.
7. removed from or out of public view or knowledge;
   secret:
   private papers.
8. not open or accessible to the general public:
   a private beach.
9. undertaken individually or personally:
   private research.
10. without the presence of others;
    alone.
11. solitary;
    secluded.
12. preferring privacy;
    retiring:
    a very private person.
13. intimate;
    most personal:
    private behavior.
14. of, having, or receiving special hospital facilities, privileges, and services, esp. a room of one's own and liberal visiting hours:
    a private room; a private patient.
15. of lowest military rank.
16. of, pertaining to, or coming from nongovernmental sources:
    private funding.

n. 

17. a soldier of one of the three lowest enlisted ranks.
18. privates. See private parts. 
19. in private, not publicly;
    secretly:
    The hearing will be conducted in private.

• Latin prīvātus private, literally, taken away (from public affairs), special use of past participle of prīvāre to rob. See deprive, -ate¹
• Middle English 1350–1400

pri′vate•ly, adv. 
pri′vate•ness, n. 
Synonyms

• 2. singular, particular, peculiar.
• 10. sequestered, retired.

Antonyms

• 2. general, public.