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private definition

pri·vate (prī′vət)

adjective

  1. of, belonging to, or concerning a particular person or group; not common or general private property, a private joke
  2. not open to, intended for, or controlled by the public a private school
  3. for an individual person a private room in a hospital
  4. not holding public office a private citizen
  5. away from public view; secluded a private dining room
  6. not publicly or generally known; confidential a private matter
  7. tending to keep one's personal matters to oneself a private person
  8. carried out on an individual basis private medical practice
  9. engaged in work independent of institutions, organizations, agencies, etc. private detective, private tutor

Etymology: ME pryvat < L privatus, belonging to oneself, not to the state < privare, to separate, deprive < privus, separate, peculiar, prob. akin to OL pri: see prime

noun

  1. the genitals
    also private parts
  2. an enlisted person of either of the two lowest ranks in the U.S. Army or of the lowest rank in the U.S. Marine Corps

Related Forms:

private Idioms

go private

Finance to restore private ownership of a corporation by buying back publicly held stock

in private

privately or secretly; not publicly

Webster's New World College Dictionary Copyright © 2005 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio.
Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

Alternate definitions:

idioms private idiom

private Synonyms

private

modif.

special, separate, sequestered, retired, secluded, withdrawn, removed, not open, behind the scenes, off the record, privy, in camera (Latin), clandestine, single; see also hidden 2, individual 1, isolated, own, secret 1, solitary.

Antonyms public*, open*, exposed.

in private

privately, personally, not publicly; see secretly.


private

n.

enlisted man, infantryman; private first class; see sailor, soldier.


Webster's New World Roget's A-Z Thesaurus Copyright © 1999 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio.
Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

private Usage Examples

Modifying Another Word

  • strictly: A ministry spokesman said: " A work contract of this kind is a strictly private affair and is the decision of Mr Stange.

Preposition: without

  • guest: The occasion can be shared with family and friends or the ceremony can be held in private without guests.

Adjective complement with noun phrase

  • make: Select the Sharing tab, then under ' Local sharing and security ' check the box ' Make this folder private ' .

Modifies a noun

  • sector: The Private sector has also invested in the area.

Used with adjective complement

  • keep: You can be certain that all information you provide will be kept private.
private usage examples (more)

The word usage examples above have been gathered from various sources to reflect current and historical usage. They do not represent the opinions of YourDictionary.com.

private quotes

Private faces in public places Are wiser and nicer Than public faces in private places.

-Auden,W(ystan) H(ugh)

   She's private to herself, and best of knowledge Whom she will make so happy as to sigh for.

-Beaumont, Francis

I hold no brief for private enterprise.But I have unshakeable faith in individual enterprise.

-Burton, C(harles) L(uther)

private quotes (more)

Webster's New World Dictionary of Quotations Copyright © 2005 by Chambers Harrap Publishers Ltd. All rights reserved. Published by Wiley, Hoboken, NJ. Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

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Cite this page:

MLA Style

"private." Webster's New World College Dictionary. 2009

  • Your Dictionary. 4 July 2009
  • <www.yourdictionary.com/private>

APA Style

private. (2009). In Webster's New World College Dictionary

  • Retrieved July 4th, 2009, from www.yourdictionary.com/private

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