privacy

noun

pri·​va·​cy ˈprī-və-sē 

 especially British  ˈpri-

plural privacies

1

a

: the quality or state of being apart from company or observation : seclusion

b

: freedom from unauthorized intrusion

one's right to privacy

2

a

: secrecy

b

: a private matter : secret

3

archaic : a place of seclusion

Synonyms

• aloneness
• insulation
• isolation
• secludedness
• seclusion
• segregation
• separateness
• sequestration
• solitariness
• solitude

Examples of privacy in a Sentence

She went upstairs for some privacy.

Celebrities have a right to privacy.

Recent Examples on the Web

Click here for important updates to our privacy policy. POLITICS Election Laws The Justice Department drops a Biden-era lawsuit against Georgia laws that advocates say restrict voting, particularly among people of color. —Deborah Barfield Berry, USA Today, 31 Mar. 2025

Some data will be kept to comply with the company's legal obligations, 23andMe notes in its privacy statement. —Yacob Reyes, Axios, 31 Mar. 2025

Although France's focus is on how ATT affects smaller companies, Apple's privacy system has also been criticized by Facebook. —ArsTechnica, 31 Mar. 2025

Part of Signal’s mission is to set, and encourage the tech ecosystem to meet, this high privacy bar. —Zak Doffman, Forbes.com, 31 Mar. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Phrases Containing privacy

• invade someone's privacy
• invasion of (someone's) privacy

Kids Definition

privacy

noun

pri·​va·​cy ˈprī-və-sē 

plural privacies

1

a

: the quality or state of being out of the sight and hearing of other people : seclusion

the privacy of the home

b

: freedom from being intruded upon

one's right to privacy

2

: secrecy sense 2

talk in privacy

Legal Definition

privacy

noun

pri·​va·​cy

: freedom from unauthorized intrusion : state of being let alone and able to keep certain especially personal matters to oneself see also expectation of privacy, invasion of privacy, privacy interest at interest sense 3b, right of privacy, Griswold v. Connecticut and Roe v. Wade