privilege

views updated Jun 08 2018

priv·i·lege / ˈpriv(ə)lij/ • n. a special right, advantage, or immunity granted or available only to a particular person or group of people: education is a right, not a privilege| he has been accustomed all his life to wealth and privilege. ∎  something regarded as a rare opportunity and bringing particular pleasure: I have the privilege of awarding you this scholarship. ∎  (also absolute privilege) (in a parliamentary context) the right to say or write something without the risk of incurring punishment or legal action for defamation. ∎  the right of a lawyer or official to refuse to divulge confidential information. ∎  chiefly hist. a grant to an individual, corporation, or place of special rights or immunities, esp. in the form of a franchise or monopoly.• v. [tr.] formal grant a privilege or privileges to: English inheritance law privileged the eldest son. ∎  (usu. be privileged from) exempt (someone) from a liability or obligation to which others are subject.

privilege

views updated May 23 2018

privilege XII. ME. privileg(i)e — AN. *privilegie (O)F. privilège — L. prīvilēgium legal provision affecting an individual, prerogative, f. prīvus PRIVATE + lēx, lēg- law.
So vb. XIV. — (O)F. privilégier — medL. prīvilēgiāre. So privy † private; hidden, secret XIII; participating in knowledge (of) XIV; sb. † intimate XIII; lavatory XIV; (leg.) partaker XV. ME. prive, priv(e)y — (O)F. privé (as sb. in OF. familiar friend, private place):— L. prīvātus PRIVATE. See -Y5. privity † secret thing; † privacy XIII; (chiefly pl.) private parts XIV; private knowledge XVI. — OF. priveté, -ité.

Privilege

views updated May 23 2018

PRIVILEGE

A particular benefit, advantage, orimmunityenjoyed by a person or class of people that is not shared with others. A power of exemption against or beyond the law. It is not a right but, rather, exempts one from the performance of a duty, obligation, or liability.