TOP

Definition of privilege noun from the Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary

privilege

noun
 
 
/ˈprɪvəlɪdʒ/
 
/ˈprɪvəlɪdʒ/
jump to other results
  1.  
    [countable] a special right or advantage that a particular person or group of people has
    • Education should be a universal right and not a privilege.
    • You can enjoy all the benefits and privileges of club membership.
    • Try not to abuse the privilege of being allowed more freedom.
    Extra Examples
    • Club members have special privileges, like being allowed to use the swimming pool.
    • Prisoners' behaviour is controlled by a system of punishments and privileges.
    • Real choice in education remains the privilege of the middle classes.
    • Top party officials were accused of granting privileges to their friends and family.
    • He was accused of abusing his diplomatic privileges.
    Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjective
    • exclusive
    • special
    • class
    • …
    verb + privilege
    • enjoy
    • exercise
    • have
    • …
    See full entry
  2.  
    [uncountable] (disapproving) the rights and advantages that rich and powerful people in a society have
    • As a member of the nobility, his life had been one of wealth and privilege.
    see also white privilege
  3.  
    [singular] something that you are proud and lucky to have the opportunity to do synonym honour
    • I hope to have the privilege of working with them again.
    • It was a great privilege to hear her sing.
    Synonyms pleasurepleasuredelight ▪ joy ▪ privilege ▪ treat ▪ honourThese are all words for things that make you happy or that you enjoy.pleasure a thing that makes you happy or satisfied:
    • the pleasures and pains of everyday life
    • It’s been a pleasure meeting you.
    delight a thing or person that brings you great pleasure:
    • the delights of living in the country
    joy a thing or person that brings you great pleasure or happiness:
    • the joys and sorrows of childhood
     pleasure, delight or joy?A delight or joy is greater than a pleasure; a person, especially a child, can be a delight or joy, but not a pleasure; joys are often contrasted with sorrows, but delights are not.privilege (rather formal) something that you are proud and lucky to have the opportunity to do:
    • It was a great privilege to hear her sing.
    treat (informal) a thing that somebody enjoyed or is likely to enjoy very much:
    • You’ve never been to this area before? Then you’re in for a real treat.
    honour (formal) something that you are very pleased or proud to do because people are showing you great respect:
    • It was a great honour to be invited here today.
    Patterns
    • the pleasures/​delights/​joys of something
    • It’s a great pleasure/​joy to me that…
    • It’s a pleasure/​delight/​joy/​privilege/​treat/​honour to do something
    • It’s a pleasure/​delight/​joy to see/​find…
    • a pleasure/​delight/​joy to behold/​watch
    • a real pleasure/​delight/​joy/​privilege/​treat
    • a great pleasure/​joy/​privilege/​honour
    • a rare joy/​privilege/​treat/​honour
    Extra Examples
    • It is a great privilege to be attending this conference.
    • She had the rare privilege of a viewing of his private art collection.
    • I was given the dubious privilege of organizing the summer fair.
    Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjective
    • enormous
    • great
    • rare
    • …
    verb + privilege
    • have
    • give somebody
    See full entry
  4. [countable, uncountable] (specialist) a special right to do or say things without being punished
    • parliamentary privilege (= the special right of members of parliament to say particular things without risking legal action)
    • breach of privilege (= the breaking of rules about what a member of parliament can say and do)
    see also executive privilege, parliamentary privilege
    5. Word OriginMiddle English: via Old French from Latin privilegium ‘bill or law affecting an individual’, from privus ‘private’ + lex, leg- ‘law’.
See privilege in the Oxford Advanced American DictionarySee privilege in the Oxford Learner's Dictionary of Academic English
Check pronunciation: privilege

Nearby words

dizzy
adjective
 
 
From the Topic
Health problems
C1
Oxford Learner's Dictionaries Word of the Day