privilege

¹priv·i·lege

noun \ˈpriv-lij, ˈpri-və-\

Definition of PRIVILEGE

: a right or immunity granted as a peculiar benefit, advantage, or favor : prerogative; especially : such a right or immunity attached specifically to a position or an office

Examples of PRIVILEGE

1. Good health care should be a right and not a privilege.
2. We had the privilege of being invited to the party.
3. I had the privilege of knowing your grandfather.
4. He lived a life of wealth and privilege.
5. It is evolving into an elite institution, open chiefly to the well-educated few. In short, marriage is becoming yet another form of privilege. —Barbara Dafoe Whitehead, Commonweal, 2 Dec. 2005
6. The oldest of the students, she had become a confidante of Fern's and she alone was allowed to call her by her first name. It was not a privilege the others coveted. —Edward P. Jones, The Known World, 2003
7. But the two were grown in the same petri dish of power, prep school and privilege. —Howard Fineman, Newsweek, 16 Oct. 2000

Origin of PRIVILEGE

Middle English, from Anglo-French, from Latin privilegium law for or against a private person, from privus private + leg-, lex law

First Known Use: 12th century

Related to PRIVILEGE

Synonyms: appanage (also apanage), boon, concession, honor

Related Words: courtesy; claim, entitlement, right; birthright; perquisite, prerogative; charter, grant, patent; exemption, immunity, waiver

Near Antonyms: burden, duty, obligation, responsibility

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