Privacioun

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. The act or process of taking away or being deprived of something essential or desirable
2. A state of loss or absence, particularly concerning rights, benefits, or possessions
3. The condition of being made to suffer from a lack of necessary things or comforts

Etymology: In Middle English, "privacioun" meant the act of depriving someone of something they needed, such as food, shelter, or comfort. It was borrowed from Old French "privation," which came from Latin "privatio," a noun built on the verb "privare," meaning "to deprive" or "to separate from." That Latin verb grew from "privus," meaning "single" or "one's own," so depriving someone was, at root, cutting them off from what was theirs. This is the same root that gave English "private," and "privation" and "private" are close relatives. Over time, the Middle English spelling gave way to the modern "privation," which kept the sense of being left without what is needed.

Synonyms: privacy, seclusion, solitude, confidentiality, isolation

Antonyms: publicity, exposure, openness, disclosure, transparency