privilege

1 :  to grant a privilege to

2 :  to accord a higher value or superior position to privilege one mode of discourse over another

1 :  a right or liberty granted as a favor or benefit especially to some and not others

2 :  an opportunity that is special and pleasant I had the privilege of meeting the president.

1 :  a right, license, or exemption from duty or liability granted as a special benefit, advantage, or favor: as a :  an exemption from liability where an action is deemed to be justifiable (as in the case of self-defense) or because of the requirements of a position or office; also :  the affirmative defense that an action is privileged — compare excuse absolute privilege :  a privilege that exempts a person from liability especially for defamation regardless of intent or motive; specifically :  a privilege that exempts high public officials (as legislators) from liability for statements made while acting in their official capacity without regard to intent or malice qualified privilege :  a privilege especially in the law of defamation that may be defeated especially by a showing of actual malice —called also conditional privilege b :  an exemption from a requirement to disclose information (as for trial) that is granted because of a relationship or position that demands confidentiality the attorney-client privilege the doctor-patient privilege the marital privilege the priest-penitent privilege — see also confidential communication deliberative process privilege :  a privilege exempting the government from disclosure (as in discovery) of government agency materials containing opinions, recommendations, and other communications that are part of the decision-making process within the agency executive privilege :  a privilege exempting the executive branch of government from disclosing communications if such disclosure would adversely affect the functions and decision-making process of that branch — see also United States v. Nixon Editor's note: Executive privilege is based on the separation of powers doctrine. In United States v. Nixon, the Supreme Court held that this privilege is not absolute and that without a claim of a need to protect military, diplomatic, or national security secrets, the need for evidence in a criminal trial will outweigh a general assertion of executive privilege. informant's privilege :  the privilege of the government to withhold the identity of an informant who has provided evidence for a criminal trial —called also informer's privilege journalist's privilege :  reporter's privilege in this entry privilege against self–incrimination :  a privilege under the Fifth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution protecting a person from compulsion to make self-incriminating statements reporter's privilege :  a privilege protecting a reporter from compulsion to reveal information acquired in the course of gathering news —called also journalist's privilege c :  something specially permitted or granted as a matter of discretion that may be limited or taken away right to…mooring permit is not necessarily created because discretionary state privilege was generously granted in [the] past — National Law Journal — compare right d in the civil law of Louisiana :  a right of a creditor conferred by the nature of a debt to have priority over the debtor's other creditors

2 :  any of various fundamental or specially sacred rights considered as particularly guaranteed to all persons by a constitution and especially by the privileges and immunities clause of the U.S. Constitution