from
The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48
Privileged \Priv"i*leged\, a.
Invested with a privilege; enjoying a peculiar right,
advantage, or immunity.
[1913 Webster]
{Privileged communication}. (Law)
(a) A communication which can not be disclosed without the
consent of the party making it, -- such as those made by
a client to his legal adviser, or by persons to their
religious or medical advisers.
(b) A communication which does not expose the party making it
to indictment for libel, -- such as those made by persons
communicating confidentially with a government, persons
consulted confidentially as to the character of servants,
etc.
{Privileged debts} (Law), those to which a preference in
payment is given out of the estate of a deceased person,
or out of the estate of an insolvent. --Wharton.
--Burrill.
{Privileged witnesses} (Law) witnesses who are not obliged to
testify as to certain things, as lawyers in relation to
their dealings with their clients, and officers of state
as to state secrets; also, by statute, clergymen and
physicans are placed in the same category, so far as
concerns information received by them professionally.
[1913 Webster]