privilege

noun

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priv·i·lege | \ ˈpriv-lij

, ˈpri-və- \

Definition of privilege

(Entry 1 of 2)

: 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

privilege

verb

privileged; privileging

Definition of privilege (Entry 2 of 2)

transitive verb

1 : to grant a privilege to

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

Synonyms & Antonyms More Example Sentences Phrases Containing privilege Learn More About privilege

Synonyms & Antonyms for privilege

Synonyms: Noun

Synonyms: Verb

Antonyms: Verb

disqualify

Examples of privilege in a Sentence

Noun 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 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 But the two were grown in the same petri dish of power, prep school and privilege. — Howard Fineman, Newsweek, 16 Oct. 2000 Good health care should be a right and not a privilege. We had the privilege of being invited to the party. I had the privilege of knowing your grandfather. He lived a life of wealth and privilege. Verb The new tax laws unfairly privilege the rich. only professionals who meet the education and experience requirements set by law are privileged to use the title “interior designer” in Oklahoma See More

Recent Examples on the Web: Noun As host country, the US has the privilege of selecting leaders to be invited to the summit. — Stefano Pozzebon, CNN, 10 May 2022 It’s also particularly tough on caregivers in rural communities who might rely on a single drugstore half an hour away from home to buy formula, and don’t have the privilege of shopping different stores in a city. — Colin Lodewick, Fortune, 10 May 2022 Roughly 50,000 people have the privilege of going to Antarctica every year, whether by ship or plane or fly cruise. — Mary Holland, Robb Report, 1 May 2022 As the personal and professional became one, as some had the privilege of working from home at some points during the pandemic, conversations about internal stability seemed to be pushed to the forefront. — Brooklyn White, Essence, 28 Apr. 2022 However, Miller said so much of their process is flooded with reaching those that don't have the privilege of following what's happening in the legislature. — Rachel Fradette, The Indianapolis Star, 24 Mar. 2022 The weighty issues raised by the series, like bigotry and poverty, aren’t going away anytime soon, nor do its characters have the privilege of ignoring them entirely. — Angie Han, The Hollywood Reporter, 9 Mar. 2022 Every single person who had the privilege of meeting jagger will never forget him. — Shafiq Najib, PEOPLE.com, 5 Mar. 2022 As a free man, Kwasi had the privilege of having the plant named after in 1762. — Uwagbale Edward-ekpu, Quartz, 25 Jan. 2022 Recent Examples on the Web: Verb Perhaps the Manolo-Birkenstock teamup is an acknowledgement from the foremost king of high heels that many consumers, even luxury shoppers, are ready to privilege comfort over beauty. — Rachel Tashjian, Harper's BAZAAR, 22 Mar. 2022 During those hearings, lawmakers questioned Amazon executives about whether third-party seller data was used to develop private-label products or to privilege its own products in search results. — Tim De Chant, Ars Technica, 9 Mar. 2022 These practices are rooted in upholding systemic barriers that privilege larger institutions over smaller, grassroots ones. — Elizabeth Cohen, CNN, 6 Mar. 2022 The upshot, Butler writes, is that the Method has been diluted by other acting styles that don’t privilege psychological spelunking or total authenticity—think of the Brat Pack, or Bruce Willis. — Jordan Kisner, The Atlantic, 1 Feb. 2022 But Gottlieb does not privilege potential, or realized, infamy over an artist’s contributions to culture. — Washington Post, 21 Jan. 2022 More broadly, there is a tendency in our culture to privilege the future over the past. — Matt Fitzgerald, Outside Online, 1 Feb. 2021 While offering powerful imagery and parables, such depictions have tended to privilege the experiences and perspectives of baby boomers like Hanks and Sorkin. — Washington Post, 3 Dec. 2021 Moreover, the types of housing that are most commonly available for one person typically privilege privacy over togetherness, but the two don’t need to be mutually exclusive. — Joe Pinsker, The Atlantic, 20 Oct. 2021 See More

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'privilege.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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privies in representation

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Last Updated

13 May 2022

Cite this Entry

“Privilege.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/privilege. Accessed 24 May. 2022.

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More Definitions for privilege

privilege

noun

priv·i·lege | \ ˈpri-və-lij

Kids Definition of privilege

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.

privilege

noun

priv·i·lege

Legal Definition of privilege

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

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