privatize

From Wiktionary

Other spellings[change]

Word parts[change]

private + -ize

Pronunciation[change]

Verb[change]

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.
    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.