Privy vs. Private

Privyadjective

Private, exclusive; not public; one's own.

‘The king retreated to his privy chamber.’; ‘the privy purse’;

Privateadjective

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

‘Her address is private; you can't have it.’; ‘private papers’;

Privyadjective

Secret, hidden, concealed.

Privateadjective

Not accessible by the public.

‘private property’;

Privyadjective

With knowledge of; party to; let in on.

‘He was privy to the discussions.’;

Privateadjective

Not in governmental office or employment.

‘He quit public life, living quietly as a private citizen.’;

Privynoun

An outdoor facility for urination and defecation, whether open (latrine) or enclosed (outhouse).

Privateadjective

Not publicly known; not open; secret.

‘The identity of the beneficiaries of the trust is private.’;

Privynoun

A lavatory: a room with a toilet.

Privateadjective

Protected from view or disturbance by others; secluded.

‘Can we go somewhere more private?’;

Privynoun

A toilet: a fixture used for urination and defecation.

Privateadjective

Not traded by the public.

‘private corporation’;

Privynoun

(legal) A partaker; one having an interest in an action, contract, etc. to which he is not himself a party.

Privateadjective

Secretive; reserved.

‘He is a very private person.’;

Privyadjective

Of or pertaining to some person exclusively; assigned to private uses; not public; private; as, the privy purse.

Privateadjective

Not shared with another patient.

Privyadjective

Secret; clandestine.

Privatenoun

A soldier of the lowest rank in the army.

Privyadjective

Appropriated to retirement; private; not open to the public.

Privatenoun

The genitals.

Privyadjective

Admitted to knowledge of a secret transaction; secretly cognizant; privately knowing.

‘His wife also being privy to it.’; ‘Myself am one made privy to the plot.’;

Privatenoun

(obsolete) A secret message; a personal unofficial communication.

Privynoun

A partaker; a person having an interest in any action or thing; one who has an interest in an estate created by another; a person having an interest derived from a contract or conveyance to which he is not himself a party. The term, in its proper sense, is distinguished from party.

Privatenoun

(obsolete) Personal interest; particular business.

Privynoun

A necessary house or place for performing excretory functions in private; an outhouse; a backhouse.

Privatenoun

(obsolete) Privacy; retirement.

Privynoun

a room equipped with toilet facilities

Privatenoun

(obsolete) One not invested with a public office.

Privynoun

a small outbuilding with a bench having holes through which a user can defecate

Privatenoun

A private lesson.

‘If you want to learn ballet, consider taking privates.’;

Privyadjective

hidden from general view or use;

‘a privy place to rest and think’; ‘a secluded romantic spot’; ‘a secret garden’;

Privateadjective

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.

Privyadjective

(followed by `to') informed about something secret or not generally known;

‘privy to the details of the conspiracy’;

Privateadjective

Sequestered from company or observation; appropriated to an individual; secret; secluded; lonely; solitary; as, a private room or apartment; private prayer.

‘Reason . . . then retiresInto her private cell when nature rests.’;

Privateadjective

Not invested with, or engaged in, public office or employment; as, a private citizen; private life.

‘A private person may arrest a felon.’;

Privateadjective

Not publicly known; not open; secret; as, a private negotiation; a private understanding.

Privateadjective

Having secret or private knowledge; privy.

Privatenoun

A secret message; a personal unofficial communication.

Privatenoun

Personal interest; particular business.

‘Nor must I be unmindful of my private.’;

Privatenoun

Privacy; retirement.

Privatenoun

One not invested with a public office.

‘What have kings, that privates have not too?’;

Privatenoun

A common soldier; a soldier below the grade of a noncommissioned officer.

Privatenoun

The private parts; the genitals.

Privatenoun

an enlisted man of the lowest rank;

‘our prisoner was just a private and knew nothing of value’;

Privateadjective

confined to particular persons or groups or providing privacy;

‘a private place’; ‘private discussions’; ‘private lessons’; ‘a private club’; ‘a private secretary’; ‘private property’; ‘the former President is now a private citizen’; ‘public figures struggle to maintain a private life’;

Privateadjective

concerning things deeply private and personal;

‘private correspondence’; ‘private family matters’;

Privateadjective

concerning one person exclusively;

‘we all have individual cars’; ‘each room has a private bath’;

Privateadjective

not expressed;

‘secret (or private) thoughts’;

Privateadjective

belonging to or for the use of one particular person or group of people only

‘his private plane’; ‘all bedrooms have private facilities’;

Privateadjective

(of a conversation, activity, or gathering) involving only a particular person or group, and often dealing with matters that are not to be disclosed to others

‘this is a private conversation’; ‘a small private service in the chapel’;

Privateadjective

(of thoughts and feelings) not to be revealed to others

‘she felt awkward at intruding on private grief’;

Privateadjective

(of a person) choosing not to reveal their thoughts and feelings to others

‘he was a very private man’;

Privateadjective

(of a place) quiet and free from people who may interrupt

‘can we go somewhere a little more private?’;

Privateadjective

(especially of two people) alone and undisturbed by others

‘we can phone from the library—we'll be private in there’;

Privateadjective

(of a person) having no official or public role or position

‘the paintings were sold to a private collector’;

Privateadjective

not connected with one's work or official position

‘the ambassador visited the school in a private capacity’;

Privateadjective

(of a service or industry) provided or owned by an individual or an independent, commercial company rather than the state

‘this research was carried out by private industry’;

Privateadjective

(of education or medical treatment) conducted outside the state system and charging fees to those who make use of it

‘private education’; ‘if I could afford it I'd go private’;

Privateadjective

relating to or denoting a transaction between individuals and not involving commercial organizations

‘it was a private sale—no estate agent's commission’;

Privatenoun

the lowest rank in the army, below lance corporal or private first class.

Privatenoun

short for private parts