2
: belonging or relating to a person in one's individual rather than official capacity
3
: admitted as one sharing in a secret
privy to the conspiracy
plural privies
1
a
: a room or small building having a bench with holes through which the user may defecate or urinate
b
2
: a person having a legal interest of privity
Synonyms
Examples of privy in a Sentence
Adjective
… there were no secrets in the little village to which he was not privy.
—
Sidney Sheldon, The Sands of Time, 1988
Halberstam and I and the other correspondents would have felt less beleaguered had we been privy to the secret debate in Washington.
—Neil Sheehan, A Bright Shining Lie, 1988
… to assure you that I am neither privy to, nor cognizant of, any such clique; and that I most potently disbelieve in the existence of any such.
—Abraham Lincoln, letter, 13 Oct. 1849
privy information on the current state of the peace negotiations
privy meetings between high-level representatives from both sides for the purpose of bringing about an armistice
Sidney Sheldon, The Sands of Time, 1988
Halberstam and I and the other correspondents would have felt less beleaguered had we been privy to the secret debate in Washington.
—Neil Sheehan, A Bright Shining Lie, 1988
… to assure you that I am neither privy to, nor cognizant of, any such clique; and that I most potently disbelieve in the existence of any such.
—Abraham Lincoln, letter, 13 Oct. 1849
privy information on the current state of the peace negotiations
privy meetings between high-level representatives from both sides for the purpose of bringing about an armistice
Recent Examples on the WebLawrence Jackson, Harper's Magazine, 10 July 2023
One illustration shows Henry sitting in his privy chamber, playing a harp—a typical depiction of David in psalters and Books of Hours at the time.
—V.m. Braganza, Smithsonian Magazine, 29 Aug. 2023
See all Example Sentences for privy 
Adjective
Mucking out the man’s privy and carrying water for his wife provide her with many hours of reflection on how to make a poem.
—Lawrence Jackson, Harper's Magazine, 10 July 2023
One illustration shows Henry sitting in his privy chamber, playing a harp—a typical depiction of David in psalters and Books of Hours at the time.
—V.m. Braganza, Smithsonian Magazine, 29 Aug. 2023
See all Example Sentences for privy
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'privy.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near privy
Cite this Entry
“Privy.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/privy. Accessed 20 Apr. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
privy
1 of 2 adjective3
: sharing in a secret
privy to the conspiracy
privy
2 of 2 noun
plural privies
1
: a small building without plumbing used as a toilet
2
Legal Definition
privy
noun
plural privies
: one having privity
especially
: one who acquires an interest in the subject matter (as property) of prior or pending litigation and is bound by the judgment as if he or she were a party to the action
Etymology
Noun
Anglo-French privé, from Old French, intimate, confidant, from privé intimate, familiar, from Latin privatus private
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