Privilege

Pronunciation

• UK IPA: /ˈpɹɪvlɪdÊ’/, /ˈpɹɪvÉ™lɪdÊ’/
• Canada IPA: /ˈpɹɪvÉ™lÉ›dÊ’/, /ˈpɹɪv(É™)lÉ™dÊ’/

Alternative forms

• priviledg obsolete
• priviledge obsolete

Origin

From Old French privilege, from Latin privilegium ("an ordinance or law against or in favor of an individual"), from privus ("private") + lēx, legis ("law").

Full definition of privilege

Noun

1. 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.All first-year professors here must teach four courses a term, yet you're only teaching one! What entitled you to such a privilege?
2. The status or existence of such benefit or advantage.In order to advance racial equality in the United States, what we've got to do is reduce white privilege.
3. (legal) A common law doctrine that protects certain communications from being used as evidence in court.''Your honor, my client is not required to answer that; her response is protected by attorney-client privilege.
4. (finance) A call, put, spread, or other option.
5. (computing) An ability to perform an action on the system that can be selectively granted or denied to users; permission.

Synonyms

• prerogative, immunity, franchise, right, claim, liberty, advantage

Derived terms

• cisprivilege

Verb

1. (archaic) To grant some particular right or exemption to; to invest with a peculiar right or immunity; to authorize; as, to privilege representatives from arrest.
2. (archaic) To bring or put into a condition of privilege or exemption from evil or danger; to exempt; to deliver.

Related terms

• allege