privatize

Other spellings

• (UK) privatise

Word parts

private + -ize

Pronunciation

• (US) IPA ^(key): /ˈpraɪvətaɪz/
• Hyphenation: pri‧va‧tize

Verb

Plain form privatize

Third-person singular privatizes

Past tense privatized

Past participle privatized

Present participle privatizing

1. (economics) When a government privatizes something, it removes government control over an industry or a part of the economy, and let people manage it themselves.
   • Antonym: nationalize

   Senator Barry Goldwater's proposal to privatize Social Security had received a lot of opposition.

2. (computing) When you privatize something (such as a variable or function), you make it private and making it only able to be used internally.