Other forms: privileges
A privilege is a special advantage granted to some people and not others. A privilege rather than a right, abuse a privilege, white privilege.
The distinction from a right is the heart of the word: a right belongs to everybody, and a privilege is given and can be taken away. In social and political discussion, privilege means unearned advantage attached to a group — an important and contested use. There is also a polite sense: it is a privilege to be here. Note privileged, the adjective; parliamentary privilege; and legal privilege, which protects communications with a lawyer.
1nounprivilegeA special advantage granted to some and not others.
“Parking there is a privilege and it was withdrawn.”
2noununearnedUnearned advantage attached to a social group.
“The book is about privilege and who never has to notice it.”
3nounhonourA special honour.
“It was a privilege to work with her for those two years.”
Too few real examples of this word to estimate which sense is commonest.
privilege is a special advantage.
Latin privilegium is privus, private, plus lex, law — a law applying to one person alone. The Romans meant it neutrally; the word arrived in English already carrying the suspicion that one person's private law is everybody else's problem.
Latin
prīvilēgium — ordinance or law against or in favor of an individual
Old French
privilege
Anglo-Norman
privilege
Middle English
privilege
English, today
privilege
Built from
From Middle English privilege, from Anglo-Norman privilege and Old French privilege, from Latin prīvilēgium (“ordinance or law against or in favor of an individual”), from prīvus (“private”) + lex (“law”). Displaced native Old English frēols (“privilege, immunity”).
Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA