private
Forms
- Comparative
- more private
- Superlative
- most private
- Plural
- privates
Definitions
1.Belonging or pertaining to an individual person, group of people, or entity that is not the state.
- In some countries, healthcare is provided by both the government and private companies.
2.Relating to an individual or group of individuals outside of their official roles; often, sensitive or personal.
- This book is her private journal.
- It was a very private thing, they felt, and not to be tossed indiscriminately about.
3.Not publicly known or divulged; secret, confidential; (of a message) intended only for a specific person or group.
- The identity of the beneficiaries of the trust is private.
- The key point in the original article was that the relationship with the woman, named “Colette,” came to light because Aupetit had sent a private letter meant for her to his secretary instead.
4.Protected from view or disturbance by others; secluded; not publicly accessible.
- Can we go somewhere more private?
- I invited him to take breakfast with me; he accepted the invitation, and told me he would tell me about himself when we were in a more private place.
1.A soldier of the lowest rank in the army.
2.A doctor working in privately rather than publicly funded health care.
3.The genitals.
4.A private lesson.
- If you want to learn ballet, consider taking privates.
Frequency
Overall
Common· #728
By learning goal
- Everyday conversation
- Uncommon
- General reading & writing
- Common
- Academic
- Uncommon
- Literature
- Rare
Related words
Etymology
From Middle English privat(e) (“individual, exclusive, private”), from Latin prīvātus (“bereaved, deprived, set apart from, release”), perfect passive participle of prīvō (“to bereave, deprive, release”) (see -ate (adjective-forming suffix) for more), from prīvus (“private, one's own, proper”), ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *per; compare prime, prior, pristine.