PRIVILEGE - UNIVERSALITY

privilege /ˈprɪvəlɪdʒ/ (n):

#​ [countable] a special right or advantage that a particular person or group of people has.

Education should be a universal right and not a privilege.

You can enjoy all the benefits and privileges of club membership.

Try not to abuse the privilege of being allowed more freedom.

# [uncountable] (disapproving) the rights and advantages that rich and powerful people in a society have.

As a member of the nobility, his life had been one of wealth and privilege.

# [countable, uncountable] (specialist) a special right to do or say things without being punished.

parliamentary privilege (= the special right of members of parliament to say particular things without risking legal action).

breach of privilege (= the breaking of rules about what a member of parliament can say and do).

# [singular] something that you are proud and lucky to have the opportunity to do.

SYNONYM honour;

I hope to have the privilege of working with them again.

It was a great privilege to hear her sing.

privileged /ˈprɪvəlɪdʒd/ (adj):

# ​(sometimes disapproving) having special rights or advantages that most people do not have.

Those in authority were in a privileged position.

She comes from a privileged background.

In those days, only a privileged few had the vote.

a uniquely privileged position in the American workforce.

# (law) (of information) known only to a few people and legally protected so that it does not have to be made public.

SYNONYM confidential;

I’m sorry, that’s privileged information.

# [not before noun] having an opportunity to do something that makes you feel proud.

SYNONYM honoured;

We are privileged to welcome you as our speaker this evening.

universal /ˌjuːnɪˈvɜːrsl/ (adj):

#​ done by or involving all the people in the world or in a particular group.

Such problems are a universal feature of old age.

Agreement on this issue is almost universal.

universal suffrage (= the right of all the people in a country to vote)

# true or right at all times and in all places.

universal facts about human nature.

universality /ˌjuːnɪvɜːˈsæləti/ (n):

# the fact of being done by or involving all the people in the world or in a particular group.

the universality of religious experience.

# the fact of being true or right at all times and in all places.

I believe in the universality of freedom.

universally /ˌjuːnɪˈvɜːsəli/ (adv):

# by everyone.

to be universally accepted.

# everywhere or in every situation.

This treatment is not universally available.

The theory does not apply universally.

privy /ˈprɪvi/ (adj):

# (formal) ​privy to something: allowed to know about something secret.

She was not privy to any information contained in the letters.