privy
/ˈpɹɪvi/adjective, noun
privy is spelled P-R-I-V-Y: 5 letters and 2 syllables. It appears 2.9 times per million words in written English, the 15,798th most frequent word form (wordfreq, 2021 data). As an adjective, privy means “Private, exclusive; not public; one's own” (English Wiktionary, September 2026).
How many letters and syllables are in privy?
| Letters | 5: P-R-I-V-Y |
|---|---|
| Syllables | 2 (from its American pronunciation) |
| In writing | 2.9 times per million words; the 15,798th most frequent word form |
| Wrong spellings searched | none measured in search |
Sources: letters and syllables from the English Wiktionary's hyphenation or pronunciation and the CMU Pronouncing Dictionary; written frequency: wordfreq 3.1 (a 2021 snapshot of Wikipedia, subtitles, news, books, web text and social media).
How common is privy?
Privy appears 2.9 times per million words in written English, the 15,798th most frequent word form in the list.
Source: written frequency: wordfreq 3.1 (a 2021 snapshot of Wikipedia, subtitles, news, books, web text and social media).
How do you pronounce privy?
- /ˈpɹɪvi/
Privy has 2 syllables (counted from its American pronunciation in the CMU Pronouncing Dictionary).
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract). Recordings: LL-Q1860_(eng)-Vealhurl-privy.wav, LL-Q1860_(eng)-Wodencafe-privy.wav, Wikimedia Commons (author and licence on each file's page).
Forms of privy
- more privy comparative
- most privy superlative
- privies plural
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).
What does privy mean?
The meanings the English Wiktionary records, quoted as written there (source below).
adjective
- 1
Private, exclusive; not public; one's own.
The king retreated to his privy chamber.
- 2
archaicSecret, hidden, concealed.
- 3
With knowledge of; party to; let in on.
He was privy to the discussions.
noun
- 1
An outdoor facility for urination and defecation, whether open (latrine) or enclosed (outhouse).
- 2
A lavatory: a room with a toilet.
- 3
A toilet: a fixture used for urination and defecation.
Arconum–I found two chairs wanting in the gentlemen's room, and the bath room attached applied to other purposes... the privies and urinaries clean...
- 4
A partaker; one having an interest in an action, contract, etc. to which he is not himself a party.
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).
Privy in Spanish, French, German and Portuguese
| Language | Words |
|---|---|
| French | privé, unique, exclusif , instruit, complice |
| German | geheim , eingeweiht, in Kenntnis |
| Portuguese | privado, exclusivo, particular, privativo, confidencial |
| Spanish | cómplice, enterado, al tanto |
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract). Translations are Wiktionary's, by sense; a linked word has its own PlainSpell page.
Where does privy come from?
From Middle English pryvy, prive, from Old French privé (“private”), from Latin prīvātus (“deprived”), perfect passive participle of prīvō (“to bereave, deprive; to free, release”). Doublet of private.
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).