privilege

American  

[priv-uh-lij, priv-lij] / ˈprɪv ə lɪdʒ, ˈprɪv lɪdʒ /

noun

• privileges
  plural

1. 1. a right, immunity, or benefit enjoyed by a particular person or a restricted group of people beyond the advantages of most.

      Few people have access to the privileges of the very rich.

   2. the unearned and mostly unacknowledged societal advantage that a restricted group of people has over another group: male privilege;

      white privilege based on skin color;

      male privilege;

      children of privilege.

2. a special right, immunity, or exemption granted to persons in authority or office to free them from certain obligations or liabilities.

   It's a privilege of a senator to speak in Congress without danger of a libel suit.

3. a grant to an individual, corporation, etc., of a special right or immunity, under certain conditions.

4. the principle or condition of enjoying special rights or immunities.

   Synonyms:

   liberty, freedom, license

5. any of the rights common to all citizens under a modern constitutional government.

   We enjoy the privileges of a free people.

6. an advantage or source of pleasure granted to a person.

   It's my privilege to be here.

7. Stock Exchange. an option to buy or sell stock at a stipulated price for a limited period of time, including puts, calls, spreads, and straddles.

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verb (used with object)

• privileges,
  present (3rd person singular)
• privileged,
  past participle,  past
• privileging
  present participle

1. to grant a privilege to.

2. to exempt (usually followed byfrom ).

3. to authorize or license (something otherwise forbidden).

privilege British  

/ ˈprɪvɪlɪdʒ /

noun

1. a benefit, immunity, etc, granted under certain conditions

2. the advantages and immunities enjoyed by a small usually powerful group or class, esp to the disadvantage of others

   one of the obstacles to social harmony is privilege

3. any of the fundamental rights guaranteed to the citizens of a country by its constitution

4. 1. the right of a lawyer to refuse to divulge information obtained in confidence from a client

   2. the right claimed by any of certain other functionaries to refuse to divulge information

      executive privilege

5. the rights and immunities enjoyed by members of most legislative bodies, such as freedom of speech, freedom from arrest in civil cases during a session, etc

6. stock exchange a speculative contract permitting its purchaser to make optional purchases or sales of securities at a specified time over a limited period of time See also call put spread straddle

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verb

1. to bestow a privilege or privileges upon

2. (foll by from) to free or exempt

Usage

Spelling tips for privilege The word privilege is hard to spell for two reasons. First, it is tempting to use an e in the place of one of the two is, as in privelege. Second, people often want to add a d after the g because of the way privilege is pronounced (priviledge). How to spell privilege: It's a privilege to have two eyes (Is) and legs. This helps remind you that privilege is spelled with two is and the final syllable does not have a d. 

Synonym Usage

Privilege, prerogative refer to a special advantage or right possessed by an individual or group. A privilege is a right or advantage gained by birth, social position, effort, or concession. It can have either legal or personal sanction: the privilege of paying half fare; the privilege of calling whenever one wishes. Prerogative refers to an exclusive right claimed and granted, often officially or legally, on the basis of social status, heritage, gender, etc.: the prerogatives of a king; the prerogatives of management.

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• privileger
  noun
• proprivilege
  adjective

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• privileges
  plural

Participles

• privileging
  present
• privileged
  past

Conjugated Forms

Present

• privilege
  simple
• privileges
  simple
• have privileged
  perfect
• has privileged
  perfect
• am privileging
  progressive
• are privileging
  progressive
• is privileging
  progressive
• have been privileging
  perfect progressive
• has been privileging
  perfect progressive

Past

• privileged
  simple
• had privileged
  perfect
• was privileging
  progressive
• were privileging
  progressive
• had been privileging
  perfect progressive

Future

• will privilege
  simple
• will have privileged
  perfect
• will be privileging
  progressive
• will have been privileging
  perfect progressive

Etymology

Origin of privilege

First recorded in 1125–75; (noun) Middle English; earlier privilegie, from Old French privilege, from Latin prīvilēgium originally, “a law (for or against an individual),” equivalent to prīvi- (combining form of prīvus “one's own, private”) + lēg- ( see legal) + -ium -ium; (verb) Middle English privilegen, from Middle French privilegier, from Medieval Latin prīvilēgiāre, derivative of prīvilēgium

Explanation

A privilege is a special advantage not enjoyed by everyone. If you're very snooty, you probably don't allow just anyone the privilege of being your friend. Privilege comes from Latin privilegium, meaning a law for just one person, and means a benefit enjoyed by an individual or group beyond what's available to others. Someone wealthy come from privilege. Someone with a library card has borrowing privileges. Privilege can also be used as a verb. If you are on a committee giving away scholarships, you'll have to decide whether to privilege students from poor backgrounds or the students with high test scores.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

privilege privileges privileged privileging

“It has been an honor and a privilege to try to get justice for your clients,” Evans concluded the email.

From Salon ● Sep. 4, 2026

Is that a strategy that marketing leaders should emulate—or just the privilege of a sole owner speaking to you from his superyacht?

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 2, 2026

"I love this company and the team behind it," Cook wrote, adding that it has been "the privilege of a lifetime serving as your leader."

From Barron's ● Aug. 31, 2026

She acknowledged that owning a house and having access to outdoor space was "a real privilege".

From BBC ● Aug. 30, 2026

“It’s my privilege to help a Queen Mother’s family.”

From "Kwame Crashes the Underworld" by Craig Kofi Farmer

He’s working from a relatively clean slate, and experiencing all of the privileges and drawbacks that come with it.

From Salon ● Aug. 24, 2026

They were allowed to keep their duke and duchess of Sussex titles, but lost other monarchy privileges.

From Barron's ● Aug. 23, 2026

It is whether it can distinguish real vulnerabilities from the privileges it mistakes for burdens.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 29, 2026

“I think Rhaenyra still privileges Alicent’s judgment, even when they are totally at odds with one another,” D’Arcy says.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 17, 2026

Rather it seems that an aspect of human nature is the tendency to cling tightly to one’s advantages and privileges and to rationalize the suffering and exclusion of others.

From "The New Jim Crow" by Michelle Alexander

"I am so proud and I feel so privileged to do every single step that I have made in my career. Hopefully I can end up successful at home."

From BBC ● Aug. 27, 2026

I’m in this very privileged position where this isn’t my reality, but this is the reality of so many women around the world.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 13, 2026

"This is a choice that I am making to feel more in control of my life," Ocasio-Cortez said, describing her ability to undergo the procedure as a "very privileged position."

From Barron's ● Aug. 10, 2026

Arm is now competing directly with its licensees, armed with privileged access to the underlying technology on which they all depend.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 9, 2026

On the podium afterward, feeling the heavy gold disc around my neck, I felt so privileged to be standing with my teammates.

From "Courage to Soar" by Simone Biles

Introduced in 2023 as the three-row version of Mazda’s CX-70, the CX-90 is Mazda’s biggest canvas for its distinctive Kodo design: a seamless, flowing surface language, privileging complex curvatures over sharp corners, edges and rays.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Dec. 11, 2025

The seating issue has sparked discussions among fashion enthusiasts and critics alike, with many feeling that the arrangement feels elitist, privileging front-row viewers while limiting the experience for others.

From Seattle Times ● Jan. 22, 2024

Your organization has now filed a complaint against Harvard University for its policy of privileging legacies and the family members of donors in its admissions process.

From Salon ● Jul. 17, 2023

But she has no use for the term “cancel culture,” privileging, as it does, the person shamed by the red stamp of accusation, rather than the one who pipes up about wrongdoing.

From New York Times ● Apr. 23, 2023

The Dream thrives on generalization, on limiting the number of possible questions, on privileging immediate answers.

From "Between the World and Me" by Ta-Nehisi Coates

Related Words

• advantage
• allowance
• authority
• authorization
• benefit
• concession
• due
• entitlement
• exemption
• freedom
• immunity
• license
• opportunity
• prerogative
• right