The word "private" refers to something that is not openly shared or accessible to the public. It describes a space, conversation, or information that is reserved for certain individuals and kept from general knowledge or view. For example, a private meeting is one that is not open to everyone, and private information includes personal details that one does not wish to disclose.
The term "private" comes from the Latin word "privatus," which means "set apart" or "removed from public life." It entered the English language in the late Middle Ages.