Showing results for "privileged"

• past tense form of privilege.
• past participle of privilege.

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

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Etymology

Origin of privileged

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

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Explanation

When you're privileged, you enjoy some special right or advantage that most people don't have. You could be privileged to live in a lighthouse and have a spectacular view of the bay. People can be privileged in many different ways, but it always means that they're getting some unusual deal that others probably envy. You can be privileged because you have plenty of money and get to travel the world, or you can be privileged to know interesting people who inspire you. Another meaning of privileged is private or exclusive, as in privileged information that's only available to a few people.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

privileged

Named after astronomer Nicolaus Copernicus, who helped overturn the belief that Earth sits at the center of the solar system, the principle holds that our location in the universe is not fundamentally special or privileged.

From Science Daily ● Oct. 29, 2026

Described in its listing a “private haven,” the property’s description noted, “Enjoy privileged access to the Snake & Gros Ventre Rivers.”

From MarketWatch ● Oct. 26, 2026

Reyes said she wanted to know who made the final decision, but Woodward said the discussions in that meeting were privileged material that the court can’t force Wischer to reveal.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 19, 2026

Only a quarter of students from low-income backgrounds go on to higher education in France, compared with nearly two thirds of pupils from privileged households, according to a 2023 government study.

From Barron's ● Oct. 16, 2026

“All right, but this is like privileged boy information. I’m only telling you because we’re going to be hanging out when we get out of here.”

From "It’s Kind of a Funny Story" by Ned Vizzini

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