semiprivate

[ sem-ee-prahy-vit, sem-ahy- ]

adjective

1. having some degree of privacy but not fully private, as a hospital room with fewer beds than a ward.

Other Words From

• sem·i·pri·va·cy [sem-ee-, prahy, -v, uh, -see, sem-ahy-], noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of semiprivate¹

First recorded in 1875–80; semi- + private

Example Sentences

I spent two nights at the hospital, was tested for possible heart attack or stroke, and my insurance company, Kaiser Permanente, was billed $95,487 for transportation, tests, medication, and a “semiprivate room.”

From Seattle Times

Premiums can be pricey, but note that a semiprivate room in a nursing home costs more than $94,000 per year, according to the 2021 Cost of Care Survey by Genworth, an insurance company.

From Seattle Times

The Fed’s 12 reserve banks — semiprivate institutions dotted across the country — each has a nine-person board of directors, three of whom come from the banking industry.

From New York Times

Some cities have adopted French “pissoirs” — essentially completely or semiprivate public urinals, which have been around since the early 19th century.

From New York Times

One capacious, semiprivate, semicircular booth has windows to the west.

From Seattle Times