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Webster 1913 Edition

Privet

Priv′et

,
Noun.
[Cf. Scot.
privie
, Prov. E.
prim-print
,
primwort
. Prob. for
primet
, and perh. named from being cut and trimmed. See,
Prim
,
Adj.
, and cf.
Prime
to prune,
Prim
, n.,
Prie
,
Noun.
]
(Bot.)
An ornamental European shrub (
Ligustrum vulgare
), much used in hedges; – called also
prim
.
Egyptian privet
.
See
Lawsonia
.
–
Evergreen privet
,
a plant of the genus
Rhamnus
. See
Alatern
.
–
Mock privet
,
any one of several evergreen shrubs of the genus
Phillyrea
. They are from the Mediterranean region, and have been much cultivated for hedges and for fancifully clipped shrubberies.

Webster 1828 Edition

Privet

PRIV'ET

,
Noun.
A plant of the genus Ligustrum. The evergreen privet is of the genus Rhamnus. Mock privet is of the genus Phillyrea.

Definition 2025

privet

privet

English

privet Ligustrum sinense

Wikispecies

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /ˈprɪvɪt/
  • Rhymes: -ɪvɪt

Noun

privet ‎(plural privets)

  1. Any of various shrubs and small trees in the genus Ligustrum.
    • 1954, Alexander Alderson, chapter 1, in The Subtle Minotaur:
      Slowly she turned round and faced towards a neat white bungalow, set some way back from the path behind a low hedge of golden privet. No light showed, but someone there was playing the piano. The strange elusiveness of the soft, insistent melody seemed to draw her forward.
Derived terms
  • Egyptian privet
  • evergreen privet
  • mock privet
Translations

Etymology 2

From Russian приве́т ‎(privét, “hello, hi”)

Interjection

privet

  1. (Russia) hello, hi
Translations

Latin

Verb

prīvet

  1. third-person singular present active subjunctive of prīvō

Etymology

Unknown origin, but possibly connected to prime.

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