"make private as opposed to public," especially of a state transferring services or industries to private enterprise, 1966, a back-formation from privatization (q.v.). Re-privatise is attested from 1942. Related: Privatized; privatizing.
The oil industry was privatized
privation
privatisation
privatise
privative
privatization
privatize
privet
privilege
privileged
privity
privy
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