Words / A2

PRYV-uh-t/ˈpraɪvət/

Private means for one person or group, not for everyone: a private letter, a private conversation, private property. Public is the opposite. A private school charges fees; a state school is paid for by the government. In private means not in front of other people. Do not write “a private” for a soldier — that is a later army rank.

Meaning

For one person or group only, not for everyone.

Examples

• “This is a private letter; please do not read it.”
• “This is a private road; visitors cannot park here.”
• “Can we talk in private after class?”

Good to know

a private letter / conversation. in private. Opposite: public. Contrast: a state school.

New