Standard Lemma guide

privation

noun · 6 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

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • /pɹɪˈveɪʃən/
  • /pɹaɪˈveɪʃən/
  • US: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • rhymes with -eɪʃən
  • CMU ARPABET: P R AY0 V EY1 SH AH0 N Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.

1

noun

Meaning 1

The state of being deprived of or lacking an attribute formerly or properly possessed; the loss or absence of such an attribute.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: countable, uncountable

Topics: human-sciences, philosophy, sciences

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

noun

Meaning 2

The state of being very poor, and lacking the basic necessities of life.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: countable, uncountable

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: destitution

Antonyms: none provided

3

noun

Meaning 3

The act of depriving someone of such basic necessities; deprivation.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: countable, uncountable

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

4

noun

Meaning 4

Degradation or suspension from an office.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: countable, obsolete, uncountable

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

5

noun

Meaning 5

act of depriving someone of food or money or rights

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • nutritional privation
  • deprivation of civil rights

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: deprivation

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: social control

Narrower terms: pauperization, pauperisation, impoverishment, starvation, starving

6

noun

Meaning 6

a state of extreme poverty

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: want, deprivation, neediness

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: poverty, poorness, impoverishment

History

Etymology

Inherited from Middle English privacioun, from Middle French privation, privacion, from Old French privacion, from Latin prīvātiō; compare French privation. See private.

Across languages

Translations

9 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Bulgarian: недостиг (nedostig) — philosophy: the state of being deprived of or lacking an attribute formerly or properly possessed; the loss or absence of such an attribute
  • Bulgarian: отсъствие (otsǎstvie) — philosophy: the state of being deprived of or lacking an attribute formerly or properly possessed; the loss or absence of such an attribute
  • French: privation — philosophy: the state of being deprived of or lacking an attribute formerly or properly possessed; the loss or absence of such an attribute
  • German: Entbehrung — philosophy: the state of being deprived of or lacking an attribute formerly or properly possessed; the loss or absence of such an attribute
  • German: Einschränkung — philosophy: the state of being deprived of or lacking an attribute formerly or properly possessed; the loss or absence of such an attribute
  • German: Mangel — philosophy: the state of being deprived of or lacking an attribute formerly or properly possessed; the loss or absence of such an attribute
  • Bulgarian: нужда (nužda) — the state of being very poor, and lacking the basic necessities of life
  • German: Armut — the state of being very poor, and lacking the basic necessities of life
  • German: Not — the state of being very poor, and lacking the basic necessities of life