private
[ˈpʰɹaɪ̯vɪt] adjective, noun, verb
Forms privates privating privated
- adjective 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.”
- adjective Relating to an individual or group of individuals outside of their official roles; often, sensitive or personal. “This book is her private journal.”
- adjective 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.”
- adjective Protected from view or disturbance by others; secluded; not publicly accessible. “Can we go somewhere more private?”
- adjective Not in governmental office or employment. “Military secrets should not be entrusted to unreliable private individuals.”
- adjective Secretive; reserved. “He is a very private person.”
- adjective (finance) Not traded by the public. “private equity”
- adjective Of a room in a medical facility, not shared with another patient.
- noun A soldier of the lowest rank in the army.
- noun A doctor working in privately rather than publicly funded health care.
- noun (euphemistic, in the plural) The genitals.
- noun (obsolete) A secret message; a personal unofficial communication.
- noun (obsolete) Personal interest; particular business.
- noun (obsolete) Privacy; retirement.
- noun (obsolete) One not invested with a public office.
- noun (usually in the plural) A private lesson. “If you want to learn ballet, consider taking privates.”
- verb (Internet, transitive) To make something hidden from the public (without deleting it permanently).
Synonyms
bits private parts buck private common soldier individual secret
Antonyms
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. Doublet of privy.
Webster’s 1913
- adjective Belonging to, or concerning, an individual person, company, or interest; peculiar to one's self; unconnected with others; personal; one's own; not public; not general; separate; as, a man's private opinion; private property; a private purse; private expenses or interests; a private secretary.
- adjective Sequestered from company or observation; appropriated to an individual; secret; secluded; lonely; solitary; as, a private room or apartment; private prayer.
- noun A secret message; a personal unofficial communication. [Obs.]
- noun Personal interest; particular business.[Obs.]
Etymology [L. privatus apart from the state, peculiar to an individual, private, properly p. p. of privare to bereave, deprive, originally, to separate, fr. privus single, private, perhaps originally, put forward (hence, alone, single) and akin to prae before. See Prior, a., and cf. Deprive, Privy, a.]
Sources: Wiktionary · WordNet 3.0 · Webster’s 1913 — from the Wiktionary entry “private”, CC BY-SA 4.0. Details