Simple English definitions for legal terms
Read a random definition: ferry franchise
Private: belonging to one person, not the public or government. A private company is one that doesn't sell shares to everyone. Private things are secret and not for everyone to know.
Definition: Private is an adjective that describes something that belongs to an individual, not the public or the government. It can also refer to a company that does not have shares available for purchase on the open market. Additionally, private can mean something that is confidential or secret.
The first example illustrates the personal nature of something that is private. The second example shows how a company can choose to keep its ownership structure private. The third example demonstrates how private can refer to confidential information that should not be shared with others.