privileged

American  

[priv-uh-lijd, priv-lijd] / ˈprɪv ə lɪdʒd, ˈprɪv lɪdʒd /

adjective

1. belonging to a class that enjoys special privileges; favored.

   the privileged few.

2. entitled to or exercising a privilege.

3. restricted to a select group or individual.

   privileged information; a privileged position.

4. Law. (of utterances or communications)

   1. not rendering the person making them liable to prosecution for libel or slander, in view of the attendant circumstances.

   2. not requiring any testimony concerning them to be presented in court.

5. Navigation. (of a vessel) having the right of way.

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privileged British  

/ ˈprɪvɪlɪdʒd /

adjective

1. enjoying or granted as a privilege or privileges

2. law

   1. not actionable as a libel or slander

   2. (of a communication, document, etc) that a witness cannot be compelled to divulge

3. nautical (of a vessel) having the right of way

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Other Word Forms

• nonprivileged adjective
• quasi-privileged adjective
• unprivileged adjective

Etymology

Origin of privileged

First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English; privilege + -ed ³

Example Sentences

They said the government team had sifted through legally privileged material and accessed her laptop before proceeding to delete multiple files.

From BBC

The austere institution southwest of Tokyo was set up by the founder of consumer-electronics giant Panasonic to nurture future leaders who, like Takaichi, didn’t have the privileged background typical of Japanese politicians.

From The Wall Street Journal

Mandelson, who was at the time the U.K. business secretary, forwarded the email to Epstein, who would have been in a position to trade on privileged information.

From The Wall Street Journal

"It's very expensive, and I'm very privileged," she says.

From BBC

Although I understand the disparity in the current time and throughout history, I also understand that I might be living through a privileged time where I just kind of see women around me everywhere.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• honored
• powerful