privilege

Definitions

From Latin privilegium: privus ('private, individual') + lex/legis ('law') = 'a law made for one private individual.' Originally a statute aimed at a single person — for better or worse — it narrowed to mean a special advantage. (The 'leg' here is lex 'law,' not legere 'read/choose.')

Why It Means This

Privilege literally means 'a private law.' In Rome a privilegium was a statute aimed at one individual (priv- 'private' + leg 'law'). Such personal laws usually conferred a special exemption or advantage, so the word came to mean a perk not available to everyone. The modern social sense ('check your privilege') keeps the core idea: advantages some people have simply by who they are.

Common Collocations

• 1.special privilege特殊待遇
• 2.a privilege to……的荣幸
• 3.abuse of privilege滥用特权
• 4.check your privilege反思自身特权

Example Sentences

• 1.

  Education should be a right, not a privilege.

• 2.

  It was a privilege to work alongside her for ten years.

• 3.

  Some critics say the policy privileges the wealthy over ordinary families.

Synonym Comparison