Phrase guide

private sector

noun · 1 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

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1

noun

Meaning 1

All organizations in an economy or jurisdiction that are not controlled by government, including privately owned businesses and not-for-profit organizations.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Topics: business

Examples

  • After spending two decades at various government agencies, he returned to the private sector and took a job as a business consultant.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

History

Etymology

private + sector

Across languages

Translations

18 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Chinese Mandarin: 私人部門 /私人部门 (sīrén bùmén) — organizations not controlled by government
  • Finnish: yksityissektori — organizations not controlled by government
  • Finnish: yksityinen sektori — organizations not controlled by government
  • French: secteur privé — organizations not controlled by government
  • German: Privatsektor — organizations not controlled by government
  • Greek: ιδιωτικός τομέας (idiotikós toméas) — organizations not controlled by government
  • Hungarian: magánszektor — organizations not controlled by government
  • Hungarian: maszek — organizations not controlled by government
  • Japanese: 民間セクター (minkan-sekutā) — organizations not controlled by government
  • Malay: sektor swasta — organizations not controlled by government
  • Malayalam: സ്വകാര്യ മേഖല (svakārya mēkhala) — organizations not controlled by government
  • Māori: rāngai tūmataiti — organizations not controlled by government
  • Polish: sektor prywatny — organizations not controlled by government
  • Russian: ча́стный се́ктор (částnyj séktor) — organizations not controlled by government
  • Scottish Gaelic: roinn phrìobhaideach — organizations not controlled by government
  • Swahili: sekta ya binafsi — organizations not controlled by government
  • Swedish: privat sektor — organizations not controlled by government
  • Tamil: தனியார் துறை (taṉiyār tuṟai) — organizations not controlled by government