# privy

/ˈpɹɪvi/ (US) · /pɹˈɪvi/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/privy
Updated: 2026-08-08

## Senses

### 1. sharing a secret

adjective · CEFR C1 · Formal

to be told secret or private information.

For teachers: sharing in the knowledge of something secret or private. Usually follows the verb 'to be' and takes the preposition 'to'.

- Only a few senior managers were privy to the plan to sell the company.
- The legal counsel was privy to the sensitive negotiations, ensuring that all confidentiality agreements remained intact throughout the merger.

Usage: Almost always used in the phrase 'privy to [something]'.

### 2. outdoor toilet

noun · CEFR C2 · Archaic

a small building outside a house used as a toilet.

For teachers: an outdoor toilet, typically a small structure over a pit; a latrine or outhouse.

- The old farmhouse didn't have indoor plumbing, so we had to use a privy in the garden.
- Archaeologists excavated the site of the eighteenth-century privy, discovering discarded pottery that offered clues about the residents' daily lives.

Teaching tip: This sense is archaic or historical; in modern English, speakers use 'toilet' or 'restroom'.

### 3. legal party

noun · CEFR C2 · Technical · Formal

a person who has a legal interest in a contract or case even if they are not the main person involved.

For teachers: a person who has a legal interest in a matter, such as a contract or property, through a relationship with one of the primary parties.

- The court had to decide if the new owner was a privy to the original agreement.
- Under the doctrine of privity, a privy may be bound by the results of a previous legal judgment even if they were not a named defendant.

## Examples

- Only a few people were privy to the secret plan.
- As the CEO's personal assistant, she was privy to confidential discussions regarding the upcoming merger.
- The legal team was not privy to the internal emails until the court ordered their release during the discovery phase of the trial.

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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.