privilege

UK:*UK and possibly other pronunciationsUK and possibly other pronunciations/ˈprɪvəlɪdʒ/

US:USA pronunciation: IPAUSA pronunciation: IPA/ˈprɪvəlɪdʒ, ˈprɪvlɪdʒ/

US:USA pronunciation: respellingUSA pronunciation: respelling(privə lij, privlij)


Inflections of 'privilege' (v): (⇒ conjugate)
privileges
v 3rd person singular
privileging
v pres p
privileged
v past
privileged
v past p

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2025
priv•i•lege /ˈprɪvəlɪdʒ, ˈprɪvlɪdʒ/USA pronunciation   n. 
  1. a special right or exemption granted to persons in authority that frees them from certain obligations:[uncountable]The president claimed executive privilege.
  2. the principle or condition of enjoying special rights or advantages:[uncountable]a life of wealth and privilege.
  3. a right or advantage that one enjoys, as because of a job:[countable]had special parking privileges for as long as she wanted them.
  4. an advantage or source of pleasure granted to a person:[countable]It's my privilege to be here.
See -priv-, -leg-.
WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2025
priv•i•lege  (privə lij, privlij),USA pronunciation n., v., -leged, -leg•ing. 
n. 
  1. a right, immunity, or benefit enjoyed only by a person beyond the advantages of most:the privileges of the very rich.
  2. a special right, immunity, or exemption granted to persons in authority or office to free them from certain obligations or liabilities:the privilege of a senator to speak in Congress without danger of a libel suit.
  3. a grant to an individual, corporation, etc., of a special right or immunity, under certain conditions.
  4. the principle or condition of enjoying special rights or immunities.
  5. any of the rights common to all citizens under a modern constitutional government:We enjoy the privileges of a free people.
  6. an advantage or source of pleasure granted to a person:It's my privilege to be here.
  7. [Stock Exchange.]an option to buy or sell stock at a stipulated price for a limited period of time, including puts, calls, spreads, and straddles.

v.t. 
  1. to grant a privilege to.
  2. to exempt (usually fol. by from).
  3. to authorize or license (something otherwise forbidden).
  • Medieval Latin prīvilēgiāre, derivative of prīvilēgium
  • Middle French privilegier)
  • Latin prīvilēgium origin, originally, a law for or against an individual, equivalent. to prīvi- (combining form of prīvus one's own) + lēg- (see legal) + -ium -ium; (verb, verbal) Middle English privilegen (
  • Old French privilege)
  • 1125–75; (noun, nominal) Middle English; earlier privilegie (
privi•leg•er, n. 
    • 1.See corresponding entry in Unabridged Privilege, prerogative refer to a special advantage or right possessed by an individual or group. A privilege is a right or advantage gained by birth, social position, effort, or concession. It can have either legal or personal sanction:the privilege of paying half fare; the privilege of calling whenever one wishes.Prerogative refers to an exclusive right claimed and granted, often officially or legally, on the basis of social status, heritage, sex, etc.:the prerogatives of a king; the prerogatives of management.
    • 4.See corresponding entry in Unabridged license, freedom, liberty.

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::
privilege / ˈprɪvɪlɪdʒ/
  1. a benefit, immunity, etc, granted under certain conditions
  2. the advantages and immunities enjoyed by a small usually powerful group or class, esp to the disadvantage of others: one of the obstacles to social harmony is privilege
  3. a speculative contract permitting its purchaser to make optional purchases or sales of securities at a specified time over a limited period of time
    See also call61, put20, spread24c, straddle9
(transitive)
  1. to bestow a privilege or privileges upon
  2. (followed by from) to free or exempt
Etymology: 12th Century: from Old French privilēge, from Latin prīvilēgium law relevant to rights of an individual, from prīvus an individual + lēx law
'privilege' also found in these entries (note: many are not synonyms or translations):
Collocations: had the privilege of [being, working with, using], it was a privilege to meet you, it was a privilege [working, playing] with you, more...

Forum discussions with the word(s) "privilege" in the title:


Look up "privilege" at Merriam-Webster
Look up "privilege" at dictionary.com
  • Go to Preferences page and choose from different actions for taps or mouse clicks.

In other languages: Spanish | French | Italian | Portuguese | Romanian | German | Dutch | Swedish | Russian | Polish | Czech | Greek | Turkish | Chinese | Japanese | Korean | Arabic

Advertisements
Advertisements
Report an inappropriate ad.
WordReference.com
WORD OF THE DAY
GET THE DAILY EMAIL!