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private

adj. · n. · v.
US //ˈpɹaɪvət// UK //pɹˈaɪvət// pri·vate
  1. 1 personal or non-public (adj.)
    A2 Elementary

    belonging to one person or group rather than the government or the general public.

    pertaining to an individual, a family, or a commercial entity that is not under state control.

    Example

    The sign on the gate said that this was private property and we could not enter.

    Example

    The government is considering selling the railway network to a private company to reduce the burden on the national budget.
  2. 2 secret or confidential (adj.)
    B1 Intermediate

    not meant to be known or seen by other people.

    intended for or restricted to the use of a particular person or group; not to be disclosed publicly.

    Example

    I need to have a private conversation with you about your performance.

    Example

    The CEO held a private meeting with the board members to discuss the sensitive details of the upcoming merger.
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  1. 3 secluded (adj.)
    B1 Intermediate

    quiet and hidden away from other people's view.

    protected from public view or disturbance; providing a high degree of seclusion.

    Example

    The hotel has a private beach where guests can relax away from the crowds.

    Example

    They bought a house in a private cul-de-sac, hoping the lack of through-traffic would provide a safer environment for their children.
  2. 4 military rank (n.)
    B2 Upper Intermediate Military

    a soldier with the lowest rank in the army.

    the lowest enlisted rank in many armies, below a corporal or sergeant.

    Example

    Private Smith was assigned to guard the entrance to the base.

    Example

    After completing basic training, the new recruits were promoted to the rank of private and assigned to their respective regiments.
  3. 5 genitals (n.)
    C1 Advanced Informal

    a polite or indirect way to talk about a person's sex organs.

    a plural-only euphemism referring to the external genitalia.

    Example

    The player was hit in the privates by the ball and had to leave the game.

    Example

    The medical examiner noted several minor abrasions in the area of the victim's privates during the initial assessment.

    Teacher's tip

    This is a common euphemism used to avoid more clinical or vulgar terms; it is almost always used in the plural form 'privates'.
  4. 6 to hide online (v.)
    B2 Upper Intermediate Informal Computing

    to change the settings on a social media account or post so only you or your friends can see it.

    to restrict public access to digital content or a social media profile without deleting the data.

    Example

    She decided to private her Instagram account after she started looking for a new job.

    Example

    The influencer chose to private several of her older videos following a wave of negative comments from anonymous users.

    Usage

    This is a functional shift where the adjective 'private' is used as a transitive verb.
Origin

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.

Idioms2 entries

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