1
a
: intended for or restricted to the use of a particular person, group, or class
a private park
b
: belonging to or concerning an individual person, company, or interest
a private house
c(1)
: carried on by the individual independently of the usual institutions
a doctor in private practice
also
: being educated by independent study or a tutor or in a private school
private students
(2)
: restricted to the individual or arising independently of others
private opinion
d
: not general in effect
a private statute
e(1)
: accommodating only one patient
The private patient room, once a luxury for the privileged few, is about to become the standard for the nation's hospitals, as evidence mounts that shared rooms lead to higher infection rates, more medical errors, privacy violations and harmful stress.—Laura Landro
(2)
: staying or recovering in a room accommodating only one patient
private hospital patients
compare semiprivate sense 2
2
a(1)
: not related to one's official position : personal
private correspondence
(2)
: not holding public office or employment
a private citizen
b
: being a private
3
4
: not having shares that can be freely traded on the open market
a private company
privately
adverb
privateness
noun
1
a
: an enlisted person of the lowest rank in the marine corps or of one of the two lowest ranks in the army
b
: a person of low rank in any of various organizations (such as a police or fire department)
2
3
archaic
: one not in public office
4
obsolete
: privacy
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Merriam-Webster unabridged
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