# privatize

> English word · Verb · IPA /ˈpɹaɪvətaɪz/ · frequency rank #50,165

## Definitions
1. To release government control (of a business or industry) to private industry.
2. To render (a variable, etc.) private in scope.
3. To render a thought or an idea, private in scope.

## Etymology
From private + -ize.

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/privatize