semiprivate

adjective

semi·​pri·​vate ˌse-mē-ˈprī-vət 

ˌse-ˌmī-,

-mi-

variants or semi-private

1

a

: having some private and some public features

a semiprivate company

b

: private with some availability to the public

a semiprivate golf course

c

: providing some but not complete privacy

a semiprivate cubicle

2

a

: accommodating usually two or three patients

a semiprivate hospital room

outpatients monitored in semiprivate postoperative rooms

b

: staying or recovering in a room accommodating usually two or three patients

semiprivate inpatients

compare private sense 1e

Examples of semiprivate in a Sentence

a semiprivate room in a hospital

Recent Examples on the Web

The semiprivate carrier once operated out of a private terminal at Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport, but relocated to Scottsdale Airport in January 2024 for a variety of reasons. —Michael Salerno, AZCentral.com, 7 July 2025

Telegram and Discord have distinct positions in the internet’s child exploitation ecosystem, offering semiprivate and private venues for people looking to sell or buy child exploitation material. —Ben Goggin, NBC news, 18 June 2025

These were meetings of twenty-five or so women, each of whom paid the substantial sum of ten dollars to hear Fuller exercise her verbal brilliance in the course of a thirteen-week-long series, in semiprivate settings. —James Marcus, New Yorker, 2 June 2025

Published on March 20, 2025 Photo : Jon Nissenbaum Photo : Jon Nissenbaum The semiprivate elevator landing. —Abby Montanez, Robb Report, 20 Mar. 2025

Insurers paused writing of new policies or told people their plans wouldn't be renewed; and increasing numbers of people had to resort to California's FAIR Plan, a semiprivate insurance plan of last resort, which has considerably higher premiums and less coverage than traditional plans. —Natalie Escobar, NPR, 14 Jan. 2025

Future of semiprivate flying:New bill in Congress could affect JSX flights Is November a cheap month to fly? —Michael Salerno, The Arizona Republic, 1 Nov. 2024

Ex-actor aims to qualify for NASCAR Trucks Series spot JSX made flying semiprivate super cheap. —Bill Goodykoontz, The Arizona Republic, 24 Oct. 2024

There would follow promiscuous interventions to strengthen the public sector’s dominance of what would become only a semiprivate sector. —George F. Will, Washington Post, 19 July 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1840, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Rhymes for semiprivate

• private

Kids Definition

semiprivate

adjective

semi·​pri·​vate ˌsem-i-ˈprī-vət 

ˌsem-ˌī-

: shared with one other or a few others

a semiprivate hospital room

Medical Definition

semiprivate

adjective

semi·​pri·​vate -ˈprī-vət 

: accommodating usually two or three patients

a semiprivate hospital room

outpatients monitored in semiprivate postoperative rooms

also : staying or recovering in a room accommodating usually two or three patients

semiprivate inpatients

compare private