Most Important Detail
The spelling privilege is the standard form in modern English. The version privelege is a misspelling that shows up because the middle syllable is spoken fast and sounds like a plain “uh”.
If you’ve ever paused at privilege vs privelege, you’re not alone. This page breaks down the correct spelling, the meaning, and the word family without fluff.
Why Privilege Is The Correct Spelling
The correct spelling is privilege. That -ile- in the middle is the part that trips people up, and it’s exactly where privelege goes wrong.
Spelling Snapshot
- privilege (standard)
- privelege (misspelling)
- privileged (adjective)
- privileges (plural)
If you’re writing formally, academically, or professionally, privilege is the only spelling that fits. The form privelege is treated as an error in edited English.
Meaning and Usage
Privilege is most often a noun meaning a special right or benefit that not everyone has. It can also be a verb meaning “to give special advantage to.” ✅Source
- Noun: a right, benefit, or special permission (often tied to a role, membership, or rules).
- Noun: a special opportunity that feels like an honor (common in polite writing).
- Verb: to treat something as more important or give it an advantage over alternatives.
Note on tone: In everyday writing, privilege can sound either neutral (a policy term) or polite (an honor phrase). The spelling stays the same either way, and privelege still stays wrong.
Why Privelege Shows Up
The misspelling privelege is mainly a sound-to-spelling problem. In normal speech, the middle vowel in privilege is reduced (it sounds like a quick “uh”), so writers guess -e- instead of the correct -i-.
Word Forms and Grammar
The word family is straightforward once the base spelling is right. Start with privilege, then the endings attach normally: privileged, privileges, and privileging. Many dictionaries list these inflections together under the main entry. ✅Source
| Status | Form | Part Of Speech | What It Usually Means | Natural Example |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ✅ | privilege | Noun | A special right, benefit, or permission | “Access to the lounge is a privilege of membership.” |
| ✅ | privileges | Noun (plural) | Multiple rights or benefits | “Staff privileges include flexible scheduling.” |
| ✅ | privileged | Adjective | Having special advantages, or protected in a legal sense | “That document is privileged information.” |
| ✅ | privileging | Verb form | Giving priority or special advantage | “The process ends up privileging speed over accuracy.” |
| ❌ | privelege | — | Common misspelling of privilege | “privelege” is not accepted in edited English. |
One word, two big uses: privileged can describe a person or group with special advantages, and it can also describe information that is protected in certain settings. Dictionaries explicitly include this “protected information” sense under privileged. ✅Source
Real-World Examples
Here are clean, everyday examples that match how privilege is typically used. Notice the same core idea—special access or special right—even when the tone is polite. The spelling stays privilege, never privelege.
- “It’s a privilege to work with a team that cares about quality.”
- “Only managers have the privilege of approving refunds.”
- “Your account includes extra privileges during the trial period.”
- “The contract treats some features as privileged and restricted.”
- “The policy ends up privileging long-term stability.”
A Quick Pronunciation Note
Most speakers say privilege with a short, reduced middle syllable (it’s not sharply pronounced), which is why people guess privelege. Major dictionaries show the stressed first syllable and the reduced middle sound in their pronunciations. ✅Source
Related Mix-Ups
When someone writes privelege, it’s usually part of a bigger pattern: the ear hears a soft vowel and the hand types an e. With privilege, the safest way to describe the mistake is simple: the correct middle is -ile-, not -ele-.
- privilege (correct) vs privelege (wrong)
- privileged (correct) vs priveleged (wrong)
- privileges (correct) vs priveleges (wrong)
FAQ
Common Questions
Is “privelege” ever correct?
No. In modern edited English, privilege is the accepted spelling. privelege is treated as a misspelling.
Is “privilege” American or British spelling?
Privilege is standard in both major varieties of English. You don’t switch it for region, and privelege doesn’t become acceptable in any standard variety.
Is “privilege” only a noun?
It’s mainly a noun, but it can also be a verb (“to privilege”), meaning to give something an advantage or priority in a discussion or system.
What’s the adjective form?
The adjective is privileged. It can describe a person or group with advantages, and it can also describe information that is protected in certain contexts.
What does “the privilege of…” mean in polite writing?
It’s a polite, respectful way to say something felt like an honor or special opportunity, as in “the privilege of meeting you.” The spelling stays privilege.
Why does the misspelling happen so often?
Because the middle syllable is usually reduced in speech, the ear hears a simple vowel and the hand types an e. That’s how privelege sneaks in, even though the correct spelling is privilege.