English Reference

Word

privilege

Phoneticspriv·i·lege, stress on the first syllable

US/ˈpɹɪvɪɫədʒ/

UK/pɹˈɪvɪlɪdʒ/

Definitions

01a special advantage

B2 · Upper Intermediate Countable noun

n. a special right or advantage that only a particular person or group of people has.

n. a particular benefit, advantage, or immunity enjoyed by a specific individual or class of people, often to the exclusion of others.

“In the past, only a small number of people had the privilege of voting in elections.”

“The diplomatic corps enjoys certain legal privileges, such as immunity from local prosecution, to ensure they can perform their duties without interference.”

02a lucky opportunity

B2 · Upper Intermediate Countable noun

n. a rare or lucky chance to do something that makes you feel proud or happy.

n. a rare or fortunate opportunity, often used as a polite expression of gratitude or honour.

“It was a great privilege to meet the president during her visit to our school.”

“I have had the distinct privilege of working with some of the most brilliant scientific minds of our generation over the last decade.”

03social status

C1 · Advanced Uncountable noun Academic

n. the power and advantages that come from being part of a wealthy or successful social group.

n. the unearned social or economic benefit or advantage resulting from one's status within a specific societal hierarchy.

“The book explores how wealth and privilege can affect a person's view of the world.”

“Sociologists often examine how invisible privilege shapes the career trajectories of individuals from dominant social backgrounds.”

Antonyms

marginalisation

04legal confidentiality

C1 · Advanced Uncountable noun Law Technical · Formal

n. the legal right to keep certain conversations secret, such as those between a lawyer and their client.

n. a legal doctrine protecting specific communications from being disclosed or used as evidence in judicial proceedings.

“The lawyer explained that their conversation was protected by attorney-client privilege.”

“The court ruled that the documents were not covered by legal professional privilege and must be handed over to the prosecution.”

05computing access

C1 · Advanced Countable noun Computing Technical

n. the permission to do certain things on a computer system, like deleting files or changing settings.

n. the specific authorisation granted to a user or process to perform restricted operations on a computer system.

“You need administrator privileges to install new software on this laptop.”

“The security breach occurred because a low-level user account had been granted excessive system privileges by mistake.”

06to prioritise

C1 · Advanced Academic · Formal

v. to give one thing more importance or more rights than others.

v. to grant a particular advantage to a person or group, or to treat one idea as more important than others.

“The current education system tends to privilege students who are good at taking tests.”

“The traditional curriculum has been criticised for privileging Western historical perspectives over those of the Global South.”

Synonyms

favourprioritiseprefer

Antonyms

marginaliseignore

Collocations

Common phrases and expressions where native English speakers use the word “privilege” in context.

Verb

01. abuse the privilege

“Students who abuse the privilege of using the library after hours will have their access revoked.”

verb + noun

02. accord a privilege

“Diplomats are accorded certain privileges that ordinary citizens do not possess.”

verb + noun

03. have the privilege of meeting

“I had the privilege of meeting the Nobel laureate during her visit to the university.”

verb + noun + of + noun

Adjective

04. exclusive privilege

“The royal family once held the exclusive privilege of hunting in these forests.”

adj + noun

05. unearned privilege

“The documentary explores how unearned privilege can shape a person's career trajectory.”

adj + noun

Noun

06. abuse of privilege

“The investigation focused on the politician's alleged abuse of privilege for personal gain.”

noun + of + noun

Preposition

07. by virtue of privilege

“He gained entry to the elite club by virtue of privilege rather than merit.”

prep + noun + prep + noun

Real-World Examples

“Burgas mayor Dimitar Nikolov said it was "an honour and a privilege" to be chosen.”
The Local 13 Aug 2026
“She doesn’t like to talk about “privilege” because everybody is suffering in some way.”
The Guardian 18 Jul 2026

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”).

Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.

Related words

Domains

ComputingFinanceLaw

This entry

Exam level
CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.C1 AdvancedIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.7.0–8.0TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 5.0–5.595–113TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.945–990
Frequency
Common
Level
C1 · AdvancedOxford
Updated

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