What does privacy mean?
Privacy is the condition of being free from unwanted observation, intrusion, or public attention, and it also refers to control over who may access personal information. The word covers both physical seclusion and the protection of private affairs, conversations, records, and digital activity. In legal and technological contexts, privacy commonly describes a right or expectation rather than an absolute guarantee: information may sometimes be disclosed or accessed when a law, contract, or urgent necessity permits it. The term is also used in expressions such as “right to privacy,” “invasion of privacy,” and “privacy settings.” Unlike secrecy, which emphasizes concealment, privacy concerns the boundary around a person’s personal life or information and the degree of control that person has over that boundary.
nounThe state of being free from unauthorized observation, intrusion, or disclosure. It also refers to the degree of control a person or organization has over access to personal information.
- The state of being secluded from public observation or unwanted attention.
- The state of having personal information or affairs kept confidential.
"The new policy is designed to protect employee privacy while allowing limited access to work records."
"A few hours of privacy helped her think more clearly."
"The company uses encryption to safeguard the privacy of its customers."
The plural is uncommon in ordinary usage but is standard when referring to separate individuals’ rights, conditions, or spheres of privacy.
"The court considered the separate privacies of the witnesses before deciding how much evidence to disclose."
Privacy is not secrecy: it is the practical boundary that controls who may observe you, access your information, or enter your space.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does privacy come from?
Privacy entered English in the late Middle English period, borrowing from Old French privauté. Old French privauté derived from Latin privacitas, meaning “privacy” or “seclusion,” which was formed from privus, meaning “private” or “peculiar to oneself.” The same Latin family underlies words such as private, privilege, privity, and deprive.
Related word forms
How privacy is actually used
The word is formal and widely used in legal, technological, and personal contexts. In discussions of personal data, it generally emphasizes control over access, disclosure, and misuse rather than merely keeping something secret.