What does privation mean?
Privation means the condition of being deprived of something necessary, particularly food, shelter, clothing, money, or another basic need. It can also denote a broader absence, such as the privation of rights, freedom, or opportunity. The word has a strongly formal tone and generally implies more than an ordinary lack: it evokes poverty, hardship, or exclusion from something normally available. In its plural form, privations is often used for the practical difficulties of such a condition, as in references to the privations of war or rural life. Because it emphasizes the condition of going without, privation differs slightly from deprivation, which can also describe the act of taking something away. Privation is particularly useful when a writer wants to distinguish severe material want from merely choosing not to possess something. Its Latin roots connect it with words such as private, privilege, and deprived, reflecting a historical association with setting apart, withholding, or taking away.
nounThe state of being deprived of something necessary or desirable, especially food, shelter, or other basic necessities. It can also refer more generally to absence or exclusion.
- The state of lacking something necessary or desirable.
- Severe lack of basic necessities accompanied by hardship.
- The act or condition of being deprived, especially of rights, possessions, or status.
"Years of political instability left the community in stark privation, without reliable food, shelter, or healthcare."
"The drought brought acute privation to several rural communities."
"Her years of privation in the labor camps left her unable to trust easily the comforts of ordinary life."
Common in the plural for the hardships or deprivations experienced by a person or group.
"Daily privations became more severe as winter approached and supplies ran low."
Privation comes from the same Latin root as private and privilege: the idea of something being set apart or taken away.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does privation come from?
Privation derives from Latin privatio, a noun meaning the act of depriving, formed from privare, “to deprive or take away.” Both words are associated with privus, meaning “private” or “individual.” The English word dates from the late Middle English period and developed its modern sense of want or deprivation from the same Latin foundation. English cognates such as private, privilege, and deprived share this root, although their meanings developed along different paths.
Related word forms
How privation is actually used
Privation is formal in register and often conveys severe lack, hardship, or exclusion rather than a minor absence. The plural is especially common when referring collectively to hardships or deprivations.
Easily confused with privation
Deprivation can name the act of taking something away as well as the resulting lack, whereas privation more strongly emphasizes the condition of being without something needed.