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• privy council
  privy council

  noun

  a board or select body of personal advisers, as of a sovereign.
• Privy Council
  Privy Council

  noun

  the private council of the British sovereign, consisting of all current and former ministers of the Crown and other distinguished subjects, all of whom are appointed for life See also Judicial Committee of the Privy Council

privy council

American  

noun

1. a board or select body of personal advisers, as of a sovereign.

2. (initial capital letters) (in Great Britain) a body of persons who advise the sovereign in matters of state, the majority of members being selected by the prime minister.

3. (sometimes initial capital letters) any similar body, as one appointed to assist the governor of a British dominion.

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privy council ¹ British  

noun

1. the council of state of a monarch or noble, esp formerly

2. (in Canada) a ceremonial body of advisers of the governor general, the chief of them being the Federal cabinet ministers

3. archaic a private or secret council

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Privy Council ² British  

noun

1. the private council of the British sovereign, consisting of all current and former ministers of the Crown and other distinguished subjects, all of whom are appointed for life See also Judicial Committee of the Privy Council

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Other Word Forms

• Privy Counsellor
  noun
• privy councilor
  noun

Etymology

Origin of privy council

1250–1300; Middle English prive counseil privy counsel

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

privy council Privy Council

The privy council announced on Friday that King Charles III had granted permission for the burial.

From BBC ● Dec. 30, 2023

In January, Franklin was summoned to appear before the privy council, the king’s most senior advisers.

From Washington Post ● Apr. 15, 2023

Although he was a Protestant, he was a supporter of the Scotland's Catholic regent, and in 1561 he was appointed to the privy council by the newly widowed Mary on her return to Scotland.

From Salon ● Jul. 25, 2022

Within the first dozen pages we have had a dowry, a duel and a privy council.

From New York Times ● May 31, 2019

William Byam, son and heir, of Cedar Hill, Antigua, colonel in the army, member of the privy council, and also one of the general council of the Leeward Islands, m.

From Antigua and the Antiguans, Volume II (of 2) A full account of the colony and its inhabitants from the time of the Caribs to the present day by Anonymous

On 24 June, Donaldson asked for his knighthood to be forfeited and tendered his resignation from the Privy Council with immediate effect.

From BBC ● Jul. 17, 2026

All the parties also called for Donaldson to be stripped of his knighthood and removed from membership of the Privy Council.

From BBC ● Jun. 23, 2026

The first minister is able to advise the Privy Council - an advisory board to the monarch - on proclamations for Scotland, which are formally signed off by the King.

From BBC ● Jan. 5, 2026

He is a member of the Privy Council.

From BBC ● Dec. 20, 2024

Parkinson was hauled before the Privy Council for questioning and came within an ace of being dispatched in irons to Australia before the charges against him were quietly dropped.

From "A Short History of Nearly Everything" by Bill Bryson