Definition

The act of returning something to private ownership after it has been publicly owned.

Example

The government announced the reprivatization of several state-owned companies.

Conversation

Have you heard about the recent reprivatization of that factory?

Yeah, it’s a big deal for the local economy.

I wonder how it will affect the workers there.

Hopefully, it brings better job opportunities for everyone.

Synonyms & Antonyms

Root Explanation

Reprivatization is formed from "re-" (meaning again) and "privatization" (from Latin "privare", meaning to deprive or make private, combined with the suffix "-ization" which indicates a process). The word refers to the process of returning something to private ownership again after it has been nationalized or publicly owned.

Memory Tip

Think of 'again' ('re-') and the process of making something 'private' ('privatization') — this helps you remember that reprivatization means returning something to private ownership.

Visually Confused Words