You can picture privilege as a special key handed to one particular person or group: the same door, but everyone else waits outside while these few can walk in and get something the rest can't. At heart it's a right or advantage given to some, not to all.
From the word’s history
From Latin privilegium 'a law applying to one person,' from privus 'individual, private' + lex (legis) 'law' — literally a law written for a single person. A law should treat everyone alike, yet a privilegium was made for just one, which lands exactly on the modern core: a right that belongs to some, not to everyone.
來自拉丁文 privilegium，字面是「為單獨一個人訂的法律」：privus（個別的、私人的）＋ lex／legis（法律）。法律本該對所有人一樣，但 privilegium 卻是專為某一個人開的——這正好對上今天的核心：只屬於某些人、不屬於全體的權利。
etymonline.com/word/privilege (Latin privilegium < privus 'individual' + lex/legis 'law')
登入就可以看每一支怎麼連回核心畫面。
原始詞典資料11 筆記錄
以下是外部詞典記錄的用法，摘錄並精簡格式，我們還沒有寫成教學內容。上面的說明才是我們自己寫的；有些用法可能上面已經講過了。
privilegenoun/ˈpɹɪv.(ɪ.)lɪd͡ʒ/
- 1
historicalecclesiasticallawlifestyleAn exemption from certain laws granted by the Pope.
- 2
A particular benefit, advantage, or favor; a right or immunity enjoyed by some but not others; a prerogative, preferential treatment.
- All first-year professors here must teach four courses a term, yet you're only teaching one! What entitled you to such a privilege?
- Special privileges should be reserved for family and village life, while steps should be taken to prevent families and family ownings from being broken up by inheritance.
- 3
An especially rare or fortunate opportunity; the good fortune (to do something).
- I had the privilege to sit near him in the House for a small part of his Commons service and there was an additional device provided to aid his participation in debates.
- 4
The fact of being privileged; the status or existence of (now especially social or economic) benefit or advantage within a given society.
- People who at any other time would cling like glue to their miserable scraps of privilege, will surrender them fast enough when their country is in danger.
- There is no complexity expressed in the feverish discussions of white privilege that periodically grips South Africa's chattering class.
- 5
A right or immunity enjoyed by a legislative body or its members.
- Dr Grigori Loutchansky is – according to a congressman speaking under congressional privilege – a "purported Russian mob figure".
- 6
archaicbusinessfinanceA stock market option.
- 7
lawA common law doctrine that protects certain communications from being used as evidence in court.
- Your honor, my client is not required to answer that; her response is protected by attorney-client privilege.
- 8
computingengineeringmathematicsAn ability to perform an action on the system that can be selectively granted or denied to users.
privilegeverb/ˈpɹɪv.(ɪ.)lɪd͡ʒ/
- 1
archaicTo grant some particular right or exemption to; to invest with a peculiar right or immunity; to authorize
- to privilege representatives from arrest
- 2
archaicTo bring or put into a condition of privilege or exemption from evil or danger; to exempt; to deliver.
- 3
To prioritize.
- “Rolling Stone” is spacious and ethereal but not directionless — it is R&B that privileges mood over structure, soft daubs of feeling over authoritative belting.
摘錄自 英文維基詞典 English Wiktionary，已精簡格式；依 CC BY-SA 4.0 授權使用，改動後的內容同樣以此授權提供。