privilege
Plural: privileges
Noun
- a special advantage or immunity or benefit not enjoyed by all
- a right reserved exclusively by a particular person or group (especially a hereditary or official right)
- (law) the right to refuse to divulge information obtained in a confidential relationship
- An exemption from certain laws granted by the Pope.
- A particular benefit, advantage, or favor; a right or immunity enjoyed by some but not others; a prerogative, preferential treatment.
- An especially rare or fortunate opportunity; the good fortune (to do something).
- The fact of being privileged; the status or existence of (now especially social or economic) benefit or advantage within a given society.
- A right or immunity enjoyed by a legislative body or its members.
- A stock market option.
- A common law doctrine that protects certain communications from being used as evidence in court.
- An ability to perform an action on the system that can be selectively granted or denied to users.
Verb
- bestow a privilege upon
- To grant some particular right or exemption to; to invest with a peculiar right or immunity; to authorize
- To bring or put into a condition of privilege or exemption from evil or danger; to exempt; to deliver.
- To prioritize.
Examples
- All first-year professors here must teach four courses a term, yet you're only teaching one! What entitled you to such a privilege?
- to privilege representatives from arrest
- Your honor, my client is not required to answer that; her response is protected by attorney-client privilege.
Origin / Etymology
From Middle English privilege, from Anglo-Norman privilege and Old French privilege, from Latin prīvilēgium (“ordinance or law against or in favor of an individual”), from prīvus (“private”) + lēx, lēg- (“law”).
Synonyms
exclusive right, favor, favour, perquisite, prerogative, advantage, claim, foredeal, franchise, freelage, immunity, liberty, permission, right
Scrabble Score: 15
privilege: valid Scrabble (US) TWL Wordprivilege: valid Scrabble Word in Merriam-Webster MW Dictionary
privilege: valid Scrabble Word in International Collins CSW Dictionary