Definition of Private

1. Noun. An enlisted man of the lowest rank in the Army or Marines. "Our prisoner was just a private and knew nothing of value"

Exact synonyms: Buck Private, Common Soldier
Generic synonyms: Enlisted Man

2. Adjective. Confined to particular persons or groups or providing privacy. "Public figures struggle to maintain a private life"

3. Adjective. Concerning things deeply private and personal. "Private family matters"
Similar to: Personal
Derivative terms: Privateness, Privateness

4. Adjective. Concerning one person exclusively. "Each room has a private bath"
Exact synonyms: Individual
Similar to: Personal

5. Adjective. Not expressed. "Secret (or private) thoughts"
Exact synonyms: Secret
Similar to: Inward
Derivative terms: Privateness

Definition of Private

1. a. Belonging to, or concerning, an individual person, company, or interest; peculiar to one's self; unconnected with others; personal; one's own; not public; not general; separate; as, a man's private opinion; private property; a private purse; private expenses or interests; a private secretary.

2. n. A secret message; a personal unofficial communication.

Definition of Private

1. Adjective. Belonging to, concerning, or accessible only to an individual person or a specific group. ¹

2. Adjective. Not in governmental office or employment. ¹

3. Adjective. Not publicly known; not open; secret. ¹

4. Adjective. Protected from view or disturbance by others; secluded. ¹

5. Adjective. Intended only for the use of an individual, group, or organization. ¹

6. Adjective. Not accessible by the public. ¹

7. Adjective. Not traded by the public. ¹

8. Adjective. Secretive; reserved. ¹

9. Adjective. (US of a room in a medical facility) Not shared with another patient. ¹

10. Adjective. Pertaining to the genitalia. ¹

11. Noun. The lowest rank of the army. ¹

12. Noun. A soldier of the rank of private. ¹

13. Noun. (''in plural'' privates) A euphemistic term for the genitals. ¹

¹ Source: wiktionary.com

Definition of Private

1. secluded from the sight, presence, or intrusion of others [adj -VATER, -VATEST] / a soldier of lower rank [n -S]

Lexicographical Neighbors of Private

prittle-prattles
pritumumab
priuely
privacies
privacy
privacy policies
privacy policy
privacy seal
privado
privados
privat-docent
privatdocent
privatdocents
privatdozent
privatdozents
private-enterprise(a)
private-eye
private-sector
private-wire house
private-wire houses
private branch exchange
private candidate
private candidates
private corporation
private cost
private detective
private detectives

Literary usage of Private

Below you will find example usage of this term as found in modern and/or classical literature:

1. Property and Contract in Their Relations to the Distribution of Wealth by Richard Theodore Ely, Samuel Peter Orth, Willford Isbell King (1914)
"We have seen the advantages of private property. Socialists frequently claim, however, that these advantages of private property simply emphasise the ..."

2. Commentaries on the Laws of England by Herbert Broom, Edward Alfred Hadley, William Wait, William Blackstone (1875)
"Wrongs are divisible into two sorts or species; private wrongs, and public wrongs. A private wrong is an infringement or privation of some private or wrongs ..."

3. The Elements of International Law: With an Account of Its Origin, Sources by George Breckenridge Davis, Gordon Edward Sherman (1915)
"private International Law. That branch of international law which treats of the relations of states with the citizens or subjects of other states is called ..."

4. A Digest of the Laws of England Respecting Real Property by William Cruise (1818)
"What maket an Act private.. Some Cases j» which private Acts may be obtained. 21. Mode of passing private Acts. 29. Operation of a private Act. 33. ..."

5. Democracy in America by Alexis de Tocqueville (1863)
"... and necessary effect of democratic institutions would be to confound together all the members of the community in private as well as in public life, ..."

6. Democracy in America by Alexis de Tocqueville, Henry Reeve (1875)
"THAT THE PRINCIPLE OF EQUALITY NATURALLY DIVIDES THE AMERICANS INTO A NUMBER OF SMALL private CIRCLES. IT may probably be supposed that the final ..."

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