privilege
English
/ˈpɹɪv(ɪ)lɪdʒ/
noun
Definitions
- (ecclesiastical law) An exemption from certain laws granted by the Pope.
- (countable) A particular benefit, advantage, or favor; a right or immunity enjoyed by some but not others; a prerogative, preferential treatment.
- An especially rare or fortunate opportunity; the good fortune (to do something).
- (uncountable) The fact of being privileged; the status or existence of (now especially social or economic) benefit or advantage within a given society.
- A right or immunity enjoyed by a legislative body or its members.
- (countable) A stock market option.
- (legal) A common law doctrine that protects certain communications from being used as evidence in court.
- (computing) An ability to perform an action on the system that can be selectively granted or denied to users.
Etymology
Inherited from Middle English privilege derived from privilege derived from Old French privilege derived from Latin prīvilēgium (ordinance law against in favor of an individual).
Origin
Latin
prīvilēgium
Gloss
ordinance law against in favor of an individual
Timeline
Distribution of cognates by language
Geogrpahic distribution of cognates
Cognates and derived terms
- cis English
- cis privilege English
- cisprivilege English
- deprivilege English
- disprivilege English
- immunoprivilege English
- privilegee English
- privilegism English
- underprivilege English
- privilegio Finnish
- privilegium Latin
- prīvilēgium Latin
- privilegio Italian
- privilège French
- privilegio Spanish, Castilian
- privilege Middle English
- privilege Old French
- privilegi Catalan, Valencian
- פריבילגיה Hebrew (modern)
- privilege xno