PRIVATE


Meaning of PRIVATE in English

■ adjective

1》 for or belonging to one particular person or group only.

↘(of thoughts, feelings, etc.) not to be shared or revealed.

↘(of a person) not choosing to share their thoughts and feelings.

↘(of a place) secluded.

↘alone and undisturbed by others.

2》 (of a person) having no official or public position.

↘not connected with one's work or official position.

3》 (of a service or industry) provided or owned by an individual or commercial company rather than the state.

↘relating to a system of education or medical treatment conducted outside the state system and charging fees.

4》 relating to or denoting a transaction between individuals.

■ noun

1》 the lowest rank in the army, below lance corporal or ~ first class.

2》 ( ~s ) informal short for ~ parts .

Phrases

in ~ with no one else present.

Derivatives

~ly adverb

Origin

ME: from L. privatus 'withdrawn from public life', a use of the past participle of privare 'bereave, deprive', from privus 'single, individual'.

Concise Oxford English vocab.      Сжатый оксфордский словарь английского языка.