privilege

B2 Topic:People & Society

US /ˈpɹɪv.ɪ.lɪd͡ʒ/ UK /ˈpɹɪv.(ɪ.)lɪd͡ʒ/ See IPA manual

Freq #5170

Meanings

1

noun
A special right or advantage that only some people have.

Members enjoy the privilege of free parking.
2

noun
A special opportunity or honour that you are lucky to have.

It was a privilege to meet such a famous writer.
3

noun
The advantages enjoyed by a wealthy or powerful group in society.

He grew up in a world of wealth and privilege.
4

verb
To treat someone or something as more important than others.

The new policy privileges large companies over small ones.

Verb forms

Verb forms are not available for this word yet.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 noun · a special right or... right prerogative advantage

3 noun · the advantages enjoyed by a... advantage

More claim liberty

Word family

Forms privilegesprivileging

Derived forms cis-privilegecisprivilegedeprivilegedisprivilegeimmunoprivilegeprivilegeeprivilegerprivilegismunderprivilege

Related forms allege

Etymology

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”).

privilege Middle English prīvilēgium Latin

View etymology graph ->

Topics

People & Society

External links

# privilege

**Type:** Word
**Level:** B2
**Part of speech:** noun, verb
**IPA (US):** /ˈpɹɪv.ɪ.lɪd͡ʒ/
**IPA (UK):** /ˈpɹɪv.(ɪ.)lɪd͡ʒ/
**Frequency rank:** 5170

## Meanings
1. A special right or advantage that only some people have.
2. A special opportunity or honour that you are lucky to have.
3. The advantages enjoyed by a wealthy or powerful group in society.
4. To treat someone or something as more important than others.

## Examples
- Members enjoy the privilege of free parking.
- It was a privilege to meet such a famous writer.
- He grew up in a world of wealth and privilege.
- The new policy privileges large companies over small ones.

## Synonyms
- claim
- liberty

## Derived Forms
- cis-privilege
- cisprivilege
- deprivilege
- disprivilege
- immunoprivilege
- privilegee
- privileger
- privilegism
- underprivilege

## Related Forms
- allege

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: privilege
- Root: prīvilēgium

## Etymology
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”).

## AI Etymology
Privilege comes 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”). In present-day English it covers a special right or advantage that only some people have, a special opportunity or honour that you are lucky to have, and the advantages enjoyed by a wealthy or powerful group in society. The wider family includes derived forms such as cis-privilege, cisprivilege, deprivilege, disprivilege, immunoprivilege and related forms such as allege.

## Topics
- People & Society

markdown