privilege

Meanings

1. 1nouncountable

   A special advantage, right, or immunity available to one person or group but not to everyone.

   Grammar: Countable when naming a specific advantage; takes a plural: privileges.

   Patterns

   • a privilege
   • enjoy a privilege
   • grant a privilege
   • privileges of

   Access to the private archive is a privilege for senior members.

   Parking near the door is one of the privileges of the job.

2. 2nounusually singular

   Unearned social advantage connected with wealth, race, gender, class, or similar group membership.

   Grammar: Often singular or uncountable in social discussion; contrast with a right, which is normally guaranteed to all.

   Patterns

   • male privilege
   • white privilege
   • class privilege
   • check your privilege

   The article asks readers to recognize how class privilege shapes access to internships.

   She spoke about privilege without accusing anyone of personal badness.

3. 3nouncountablelegal

   A special legal right or protection, especially one that limits what can be revealed or demanded in court.

   Grammar: Legal and countable; often appears in fixed phrases such as attorney-client privilege.

   Patterns

   • legal privilege
   • attorney-client privilege
   • claim privilege
   • without privilege

   The lawyer said the email was protected by attorney-client privilege.

   The court must decide whether privilege applies to the notebook.

Word forms

Common combinations

special privilege

No employee should receive special privilege without a clear reason.

enjoy a privilege

They enjoy the privilege of flexible hours.

abuse a privilege

He lost the privilege after abusing a privilege by sharing the code.

attorney-client privilege

Attorney-client privilege keeps certain legal conversations confidential.

white privilege

The seminar used white privilege to explain unearned advantages in daily life.

Synonyms and how they differ

advantage

Advantage is broader and can be earned or situational; privilege often suggests special or unequal access.

right

A right is generally owed to everyone; a privilege can be granted, limited, or taken away.

perk

Perk is informal for an extra job benefit; privilege can be social, legal, or institutional.

prerogative

Prerogative is formal for an official or personal power to decide; privilege is a benefit or immunity.

Opposites

Word family

privileged adjective

Having special advantages, or protected by legal privilege.

underprivileged adjective

Lacking the social or economic advantages others have.

Commonly confused: privilege or right?

Practice

Make it your own

Write a sentence using “privilege”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.

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