What does “private” mean?
- 1
adjectivefor one person or group only, not for everyone
This is a private beach, so we can’t swim here.
- 2
adjectiveowned or run by a person or company, not the government
She went to a private school.
- 3
adjectivepersonal and secret, not for other people to know
He keeps his feelings private.
Private at a glance
- Part of speech
- adjective
- CEFR level
- A2 (elementary)
- Pronunciation
- /ˈpraɪvət/ · PRY-vit
How to use “private” correctly
“In private” means without other people present: “Can we talk in private?”
Common phrases with “private”
- in private
- private life
- private sector
- private property
Synonyms, opposites and related words
Antonyms (opposite meaning)
Word family
- privacy
- privately
- privatize
“private” is on these word lists
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