French Conversation · Level 82
60 words
French word
privilégier
Pronunciation
IPA/pʁivileʒje/
Meaning
- verbprefer
Example
Je privilégie le train plutôt que la voiture.
I prefer the train to the car.
More examples
Il faut privilégier la sécurité.
It is necessary to give priority to safety.
Core concept
A choice places one person or option ahead of others for greater priority or advantage.
Common phrases
privilégier le train
give priority to the train
privilégier la qualité
give priority to quality
privilégier la sécurité
give priority to safety
Similar words
préférer: Selecting one option or course of action in preference to another.
favoriser: Helping a person or thing gain an advantage.
prioriser: Arranging tasks by priority and doing them in that order.
Definition in French
Mettre quelque chose ou quelqu'un en position d'avantage ou de priorité par rapport aux autres.
Word origin
Privilégier derives from the noun privilège, ultimately from Latin privilegium, a special law for an individual, and developed the sense of giving precedence.
Usage tips
- Privilégier is transitive, so the favored item follows it directly; the alternative can be introduced by "plutôt que", as in "privilégier le train plutôt que la voiture".
Other meanings
- favorverb
Opposites
- défavoriserdisadvantageverb
- négligerneglectverb
Related words
- privilègeprivilegenoun
- privilégiéprivilegedadjective