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

"When you have the privilege of being a leader within a team, you want to build something bigger than just winning," he said.

From BBC ● Aug. 26, 2026

"Such a privilege to be racing here. Spectacular place," said Palou, who made a White House visit earlier this week.

From Barron's ● Aug. 22, 2026

Unless you’re Steven Spielberg, with enough money and success to have final-cut privilege, everything in a franchise blockbuster is bound to look flat, feel drab, and be nauseatingly overexplained.

From Salon ● Aug. 20, 2026

There’s an overwhelming case for simplifying the tax system as a whole to create incentives for investment and cutting through the rules that privilege companies big enough to deploy the best-paid accountants.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 17, 2026

At Ravensbruck, munitions transport was considered a privilege; food and living conditions in the factories were said to be far better than here in the camp.

From "The Hiding Place" by Corrie ten Boom

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

The privileges of the English eccentric resemble those of the fool in the medieval court.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 14, 2026

"We call on the de facto authorities to ensure compliance with the privileges and immunities of the UN and its officials."

From Barron's ● Aug. 11, 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

There was always controversy about whether or not we should accept study privileges.

From "Long Walk to Freedom" by Nelson Mandela

Hoy told BBC Scotland he felt privileged to have the public platform to spread awareness and would continue to do so even if there was a national screening system in place.

From BBC ● Aug. 24, 2026

"I feel proud, honoured and deeply privileged to be his fellow countryman."

From Barron's ● Aug. 17, 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

In fact—as can be seen in the immigration patterns to the U.S. from China and India—emigrants can be “among the most privileged and educated of their nations.”

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 10, 2026

“Like I was tellin’ you, Chino, check it out, Nazario and I know that we are livin’ in the most privileged of times since the nineteen-twenties, since Prohibition.”

From "Bodega Dreams" by Ernesto Quinonez

The essence of many bad decisions, decision theorists have long shown us, is privileging a single outcome or scenario as if it’s the only possible one.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 15, 2026

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

For the camera to lavish attention on a single soul suddenly feels like an indulgence, a rare privileging of the individual over the collective.

From Los Angeles Times ● Mar. 31, 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