privilege

Forms

1.A particular benefit, advantage, or favor; a right or immunity enjoyed by some but not others; a prerogative, preferential treatment.
- All first-year professors here must teach four courses a term, yet you're only teaching one! What entitled you to such a privilege?
- Special privileges should be reserved for family and village life, while steps should be taken to prevent families and family ownings from being broken up by inheritance.
2.An especially rare or fortunate opportunity; the good fortune (to do something).
- I had the privilege to sit near him in the House for a small part of his Commons service and there was an additional device provided to aid his participation in debates.
3.The fact of being privileged; the status or existence of (now especially social or economic) benefit or advantage within a given society.
- South Africa's 'miracle transition' has not put an end to white privilege.
- There is no complexity expressed in the feverish discussions of white privilege that periodically grips South Africa's chattering class.
- People who at any other time would cling like glue to their miserable scraps of privilege, will surrender them fast enough when their country is in danger.
4.A right or immunity enjoyed by a legislative body or its members.
- Dr Grigori Loutchansky is – according to a congressman speaking under congressional privilege – a "purported Russian mob figure".

1.To prioritize.
- “Rolling Stone” is spacious and ethereal but not directionless, it is R&B that privileges mood over structure, soft daubs of feeling over authoritative belting.

Uncommon· #3305

From Middle English privilege

From Anglo-Norman privilege and Old French privilege

From Latin prīvilēgium (“ordinance or law against or in favor of an individual”)

From prīvus (“private”) + lēx, lēg- (“law”).