private sector

American  

noun

1. the area of the nation's economy under private rather than governmental control.

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private sector British  

noun

1. the part of a country's economy that consists of privately owned enterprises Compare public sector

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private sector Cultural  

1. That part of an economy in which goods and services are produced by individuals and companies as opposed to the government, which controls the public sector.

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Etymology

Origin of private sector

First recorded in 1950–55

Example Sentences

What do you think the private sector thinks when the government, with taxpayer dollars, can’t seem to get people to come back to the office?

From Los Angeles Times

It is now the biggest private sector employer in the city and offers sports betting, poker, casino games and bingo online to millions of customers worldwide.

From BBC

Combined, that makes it more difficult for the state to compete with the private sector, which is also struggling to hire health care workers.

From Los Angeles Times

Industries that created lots of jobs a few years ago, such as real estate and education, are in a funk after a property bubble popped and Beijing launched a regulatory crackdown on the private sector.

From The Wall Street Journal

Data and tools from the center are also used directly and indirectly by the private sector.

From Los Angeles Times