Privy Definition

prĭvē
privies
adjective
Made a participant in knowledge of something private or secret.
Was privy to classified information.
American Heritage
Private; not public.
Webster's New World
Belonging or proper to a person, such as the British sovereign, in a private rather than official capacity.
American Heritage
Hidden, secret, furtive, etc.
Webster's New World

With knowledge of; party to; let in on.

He was privy to the discussions.
Wiktionary
Synonyms:
Antonyms:
noun
privies
A toilet; esp., an outhouse.
Webster's New World
A toilet.
American Heritage
A person who is in privity with another.
Webster's New World
Persons having a mutual interest in the same thing or who are connected by some relation other than contract.
Webster's New World Law

(law) A partaker; one having an interest in an action, contract, etc. to which he is not himself a party.

Wiktionary
Synonyms:
idiom
privy to
  • privately informed about
Webster's New World

Other Word Forms of Privy

Noun

Singular:
privy
Plural:
privies

Idioms, Phrasal Verbs Related to Privy

  • privy to

Origin of Privy

  • Middle English prive from Old French from Latin prīvātus private from prīvus single, alone per1 in Indo-European roots

    From American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition

  • Old French privé (“private"), from Latin privatus (“deprived"). More at private

    From Wiktionary

Privy Sentence Examples

  • The ol' boys at the station are about split down the middle but we're not privy to Byrne's lifestyle and I suppose that's the key.

  • Cynthia telephoned her son and apparently made temporary peace, although Dean wasn't privy to the details.

  • Under the influence of Archbishop Chicheley, who had himself founded two colleges in imitation of Wykeham, and Thomas Bekynton, king's secretary and privy seal, and other Wyke - hamists, Henry VI., on the 11th of October 1440, founded, in imitation of Winchester College, "a college in the parish church of Eton by Windsor not far from our birthplace," called the King's College of the Blessed Mary of Eton by Windsor, as "a sort of first-fruits of his taking the government on himself."

  • But it was not till towards the end of 1511 that Wolsey became a privy councillor and secured a controlling voice in the government.

  • He was also made a member of the Irish privy council and vice-chancellor of the university of Dublin.

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Words Starting With

PPRPRI

Words Ending With

YVYIVY

Unscrambles

privy

Words Starting With P and Ending With Y

Starts With P & Ends With YStarts With PR & Ends With YStarts With P & Ends With VY

Word Length

5 Letter Words5 Letter Words Starting With P5 Letter Words Ending With Y