Etymologically
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Pronunciation

  • IPA: /ˈpraɪ.vət/[1]

Etymology

It is inherited from Middle English privat, borrowed from Latin prīvātus (“set apart from public life, belonging to oneself”),[2][3][4] originally the past participle of prīvāre (“to deprive, release”),[2][3][5] from prīvus (“one's own, single, individual”).[2][3][4] Etymonline traces prīvus to Proto-Italic *prei-wo- (“separate, individual”) and Proto-Indo-European *per- (“forward”), with a shift from “being in front” to “being separate”.[3] It is related to deprive, privilege, privation and privy.[6][7]

Earliest recorded meaning

Withdrawn or set apart from the public body, applied by Wycliffe to the religious orders: about 1380,[8][7] or probably 1384.[2] Etymonline gives “belonging to oneself, not shared” from the late 14th century.[3]

Semantic evolution

Etymonline notes that Old English had syndrig in this sense.[3] Of persons, “not holding public office”, it is from the early 15th century,[3][8] and of a place, “not open to the public”, from the 15th century.[7] Of communications, “secret, confidential”, it is from the 1550s,[3] and in private from the 1580s.[3] A private soldier, one without rank, is from 1579,[8] and the noun private in this military sense from 1781.[3] Earlier the noun meant a private citizen, from the 1590s.[3] A private school, run by individuals for profit, is from the 1650s,[3] private parts from 1785,[3] and private detective from 1868.[8]

Timeline

  • c. 1380 – set apart (Wycliffe).[8]
  • early 15th century – not holding office.[3]
  • 1550s – confidential.[3]
  • 1579 – private soldier.[8]
  • 1580s – in private.[3]
  • 1650s – private school.[3]
  • 1781 – noun, a private soldier.[3]
  • 1785 – private parts.[3]
  • 1868 – private detective.[8]

Modern meaning

Adjective

  1. Secluded from others; intended for one's own use.
  2. Of or belonging to an individual; personal.
  3. Not open to the public: a private club.
  4. Not holding public office; not official.
  5. Secret, confidential.
  6. Owned or run by individuals rather than the state: the private sector.

Noun

  1. A soldier of the lowest rank.
  2. (privates) The genitals.

Word family

  • privately
  • privateness
  • privateer
  • privatise
  • privatism
  • privatize
  • semiprivate
  • unprivate
  • privacy
  • deprive
  • privilege
  • privation
  • privy

References

  1. ^ Jones, Daniel (2011), Cambridge English Pronouncing Dictionary, 18th ed., ed. Peter Roach, Jane Setter and John Esling, Cambridge: Cambridge University Press
  2. ^ a b c d Barnhart, Robert K. (1988), The Barnhart Dictionary of Etymology
  3. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
  4. ^ a b The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language (2000), 4th ed., Boston: Houghton Mifflin
  5. ^ Shorter Oxford English Dictionary on Historical Principles (2002), 5th ed., ed. William R. Trumble and Angus Stevenson, Oxford: Oxford University Press
  6. ^ Cresswell, Julia (2021), Oxford Dictionary of Word Origins, 3rd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press
  7. ^ a b c Hoad, T. F., ed. (1986), The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology, Oxford: Clarendon Press
  8. ^ a b c d e f g Simpson, J. A.; Weiner, E. S. C., eds. (1989), The Oxford English Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Clarendon Press