private

adjective
UK: /ˈpraɪ.vət/
US: /ˈpraɪ.vət/

  1. Belonging to or for the use of one particular person or group of people only.

    1. This is my private garden, please don't come in. [ ] [ ]
    2. The company has a private healthcare plan for its employees. [ ] [ ]

  2. Not connected with or controlled by the government or other public organization.

    1. He goes to a private school near his home. [ ] [ ]
    2. Many people prefer to seek medical care from private practitioners. [ ] [ ]

  3. Secret; not intended to be known or told to other people.

    1. Keep this information private, it's just for us. [ ] [ ]
    2. She shared her private thoughts with her closest friend. [ ] [ ]

Synonyms

personal confidential secret individual
private noun

  1. A soldier of the lowest rank.

    1. He started as a private in the army. [ ] [ ]
    2. The private received commendation for his bravery. [ ] [ ]

Frequently Asked Questions

The word "private" in English means: Belonging to or for the use of one particular person or group of people only., Not connected with or controlled by the government or other public organization., Secret; not intended to be known or told to other people..

The phonetic transcription of "private" is /ˈpraɪ.vət/ in British English and /ˈpraɪ.vət/ in American English. Click the 🔊 button to hear both pronunciations.

Synonyms for "private": personal, confidential, secret, individual.

Example usage of "private": "This is my private garden, please don't come in.". More examples on the page.