# private

/ˈpɹaɪvət/ (US) · /pɹˈaɪvət/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/private
Updated: 2026-06-19

## Senses

### 1. personal or non-public

adjective · CEFR A2

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

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

- The sign on the gate said that this was private property and we could not enter.
- The government is considering selling the railway network to a private company to reduce the burden on the national budget.

### 2. secret or confidential

adjective · CEFR B1

not meant to be known or seen by other people.

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

- I need to have a private conversation with you about your performance.
- The CEO held a private meeting with the board members to discuss the sensitive details of the upcoming merger.

### 3. secluded

adjective · CEFR B1

quiet and hidden away from other people's view.

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

- The hotel has a private beach where guests can relax away from the crowds.
- They bought a house in a private cul-de-sac, hoping the lack of through-traffic would provide a safer environment for their children.

### 4. military rank

noun · CEFR B2

a soldier with the lowest rank in the army.

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

- Private Smith was assigned to guard the entrance to the base.
- After completing basic training, the new recruits were promoted to the rank of private and assigned to their respective regiments.

### 5. genitals

noun · CEFR C1 · Informal

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

For teachers: a plural-only euphemism referring to the external genitalia.

- The player was hit in the privates by the ball and had to leave the game.
- The medical examiner noted several minor abrasions in the area of the victim's privates during the initial assessment.

Teaching tip: This is a common euphemism used to avoid more clinical or vulgar terms; it is almost always used in the plural form 'privates'.

### 6. to hide online

verb · CEFR B2 · Informal

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

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

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

## Examples

- The private stood at attention during the inspection.
- After completing basic training, he was assigned to the infantry as a private.
- The memoir provides a harrowing account of life as a private on the front lines, focusing on the daily struggles of those at the bottom of the military hierarchy.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.