privet

[ priv-it ]

/ ˈprɪv ɪt /

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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.

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Origin of privet

First recorded in 1535–45; origin uncertain

Words nearby privet

privation, privatism, privative, privatization issue, privatize, privet, privet hawk, privilege, privileged, privileged altar, privileged site

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2022

How to use privet in a sentence

His gray hackles stiffened and his thick-set eyebrows bristled outward like bits of frosted privet.
The Escape of Mr. Trimm|Irvin S. Cobb
As the strains died away and the couples moved off among the privet-lined paths, I went slowly down the terrace.
Richard Carvel, Complete|Winston Churchill
Then a little branch of privet comes and touches M. Flammarion's hand, apparently arriving from somewhere near the window.
Mysterious Psychic Forces|Camille Flammarion
The copper beech, the high privet hedge and the willows beyond it, shut out both light and air.
Gray youth|Oliver Onions

She made a charming picture as she walked slowly the length of the privet hedge and then turned towards the copper beech again.
Gray youth|Oliver Onions

British Dictionary definitions for privet

privet

/ (ˈprɪvɪt) /

noun

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

Word Origin for privet

C16: of unknown origin

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