privet

American

[priv-it] / ˈprɪv ɪt /

noun

any of various deciduous or evergreen shrubs of the genus Ligustrum, especially L. vulgare, having clusters of small white flowers and commonly grown as a hedge.

privet British

/ ˈprɪvɪt /

noun

1. any oleaceous shrub of the genus Ligustrum, esp L. vulgare or L. ovalifolium , having oval dark green leaves, white flowers, and purplish-black berries
2. ( as modifier )
  
  a privet hedge

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

privets

plural

Etymology

Origin of privet

First recorded in 1535–45; origin uncertain

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Eventually Privet Bot wrote back urging him to be patient.

From BBC • Jul. 8, 2025

It’s from Hogwarts, the school for wizards, and it is addressed to a certain “Mr H. Potter, The Cupboard under the Stairs, 4 Privet Drive, Little Whinging, Surrey”.

From Reuters • Nov. 15, 2021

Create a photo opportunity inside Harry Potter’s cupboard under the stairs at 4 Privet Drive and understand the art of making potions on the re-created sets of “Harry Potter” and “Fantastic Beasts.”

From Seattle Times • Jul. 10, 2021

Situated in Martins Heron, a suburb of the town named the fourth ugliest in the UK in 2013, the house doubled for 4 Privet Drive, Little Whinging in the Potter film saga.

From The Guardian • Sep. 21, 2016

“I always stay at Hogwarts for the Christmas and Easter holidays,” he said, “and I don’t ever want to go back to Privet Drive.”

From "Harry Potter And The Prisoner Of Azkaban" by J.K. Rowling

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023