privatise
UK[ˈpraɪvətaɪz]US[ˈpraɪvəˌtaɪz]
v
to transfer (a business, industry, or service) from public to private ownership and control.
v
to cause (something) to be operated or managed by private interests rather than by the state.
Morpheme Breakdown
private
ise
private
personal, not state-owned
ise
Etymology
the word 'privatise' is a modern formation built upon the established adjective 'private'. the core element 'private' originates from the latin 'privatus', the past participle of 'privare' meaning 'to bereave, to deprive', which itself derives from 'privus' meaning 'one's own, individual'. this root conveys the sense of being set apart from the public sphere. the suffix '-ise', a prolific verb-forming element in english, is added to signify the act of making something possess the qualities of the root. therefore, the literal construction 'to make private' directly and logically evolved into the specific late 20th-century economic meaning of transferring state assets into private hands.
Analysis
Structure: private + ise
private: from latin 'privatus' (withdrawn from public life, belonging to an individual), functioning as the core adjective meaning 'personal, not state-owned'.
ise: a verb-forming suffix of greek origin via latin and french, indicating 'to render, to make, to become'.
Examples
the government decided to privatise the national railway system.
many argue that to privatise healthcare would improve efficiency but reduce accessibility.
the plan to privatise the city's water supply was met with public protest.