Privilege, n.
Etymology: [F. privilège, L. privilegium an ordinance or law against or in favor of an individual; privus private + lex, legis, law. See Private, and Legal.]
1. A peculiar benefit, advantage, or favor; a right or immunity not enjoyed by others or by all; special enjoyment of a good, or exemption from an evil or burden; a prerogative; advantage; franchise. He pleads the legal privilege of a Roman. Kettlewell. The privilege birthright was a double portion. Locke. A people inheriting privileges, franchises, and liberties. Burke.
2. (Stockbroker's Cant)
See Call, Put, Spread, etc. Breach of privilege. See under Breach. -- Question of privilege (Parliamentary practice), a question which concerns the security of a member of a legislative body in his special privileges as such. -- Water privilege, the advantage of having machinery driven by a stream, or a place affording such advantage. [ U. S.] -- Writ of privilege (Law), a writ to deliver a privileged person from custody when arrested in a civil suit. Blackstone.
Syn. -- Prerogative; immunity; franchise; right; claim; liberty. -- Privilege, Prerogative. Privilege, among the Romans, was something conferred upon an individual by a private law; and hence, it denotes some peculiar benefit or advantage, some right or immunity, not enjoyed by the world at large. Prerogative, among the Romans, was the right of voting first; and, hence, it denotes a right of precedence, or of doing certain acts, or enjoying certain privileges, to the exclusion of others. It is the privilege of a member of Congress not to be called in question elsewhere for words uttered in debate. It is the prerogative of the president to nominate judges and executive officers. It is the privilege of a Christian child to be instructed in the true religion. It is the prerogative of a parent to govern and direct his children.
1 other Webster entry under this spelling
Privilege, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Privileged; p. pr. & vb. n. Privileging.]
1. To grant some particular right or exemption to; to invest with a peculiar right or immunity; to authorize; as, to privilege representatives from arrest. To privilege dishonor in thy name. Shak.
2. To bring or put into a condition of privilege or exemption from evil or danger; to exempt; to deliver. He took this place for sanctuary, And it shall privilege him from your hands. Shak.
Shades of meaning
Fernald has no entry of its own for privilege; he lists it under right.
Where he writes about it:
A privilege is always special, exceptional, and artificial; it is something not enjoyed by all, or only to be enjoyed on certain special conditions, a peculiar benefit, favor, advantage, etc. — from right
A privilege may be of doing or avoiding; in the latter case it is an exemption or immunity; as, a privilege of hunting or fishing; exemption from military service; immunity from arrest. — from right
A franchise is a specific right or privilege granted by the government or established as such by governmental authority; as, the elective franchise; a railroad franchise. — from right
A prerogative is an official right or privilege, especially one inherent in the royal or sovereign power; in a wider sense it is an exclusive and peculiar privilege which one possesses by reason of being what he is; as, reason is the prerogative of man; kings and nobles have often claimed prerogatives and privileges opposed to the inherent rights of the people. — from right