Prerogative

Prerogative
Prerogative Pre*rog"a*tive, n. [F. pr['e]rogative, from L. praerogativa precedence in voting, preference, privilege, fr. praerogativus that is asked before others for his opinion, that votes before or first, fr. praerogare to ask before another; prae before + rogare to ask. See {Rogation}.] [1913 Webster] 1. An exclusive or peculiar privilege; prior and indefeasible right; fundamental and essential possession; -- used generally of an official and hereditary right which may be asserted without question, and for the exercise of which there is no responsibility or accountability as to the fact and the manner of its exercise. [1913 Webster]

The two faculties that are the prerogative of man -- the powers of abstraction and imagination. --I. Taylor. [1913 Webster]

An unconstitutional exercise of his prerogative. --Macaulay. [1913 Webster]

2. Precedence; pre["e]minence; first rank. [Obs.] [1913 Webster]

Then give me leave to have prerogative. --Shak. [1913 Webster]

Note: The term came into general use in the conflicts between the Crown and Parliaments of Great Britain, especially in the time of the Stuarts. [1913 Webster]

{Prerogative Court} (Eng. Law), a court which formerly had authority in the matter of wills and administrations, where the deceased left bona notabilia, or effects of the value of five pounds, in two or more different dioceses. --Blackstone.

{Prerogative office}, the office in which wills proved in the Prerogative Court were registered. [1913 Webster]

Syn: Privilege; right. See {Privilege}. [1913 Webster]


The Collaborative International Dictionary of English. 2000.

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  • prérogative — [ prerɔgativ ] n. f. • v. 1235; lat. jurid. prærogativa « (centurie) qui vote la première » ♦ Avantage dû à une fonction, un état. ⇒ honneur, 2. pouvoir, privilège. Les prérogatives des parlementaires. « L antique prérogative féodale qui… …   Encyclopédie Universelle

  • prerogative — I noun advantage, authority, authorization, benefit, charter, claim, droit, due, exclusive privilege, exclusive right, franchise, freedom, grant, inalienable right, legal power, liberty, license, perquisite, power, preference, prior right,… …   Law dictionary

  • prerogative — (n.) special right or privilege granted to someone, c.1400 (in Anglo Latin from late 13c.), from O.Fr. prerogative (14c.), M.L. prerogativa special right, from L. praerogativa prerogative, previous choice or election, originally (with tribus,… …   Etymology dictionary

  • prerogative — Prerogative, et avantage, Praerogatiua. Pour l avoir avec toute puissance et prerogative telle que donner on pouvoit en tel cas, Demus imperium Caesari, eo iure quo qui optimo. Bud …   Thresor de la langue françoyse

  • prerogative — [prē räg′ə tiv, priräg′ə tiv] n. [ME prerogatif < MFr < L praerogativa, called upon to vote first < praerogare, to ask before < prae , before + rogare, to ask: see ROGATION] 1. a prior or exclusive right or privilege, esp. one… …   English World dictionary

  • prerogative — *right, privilege, perquisite, appanage, birthright Analogous words: immunity, *exemption: *claim, title: *freedom, license, liberty …   New Dictionary of Synonyms

  • prerogative — [n] right, privilege advantage, appanage, authority, birthright, choice, claim, droit, due, exemption, immunity, liberty, perquisite, sanction, title; concept 376 Ant. duty, obligation …   New thesaurus

  • prerogative — PREROGATIVE. s. f. Privilege, avantage sur un autre. Cette charge donne de belles prerogatives. cette Eglise a de grandes prerogatives, joüit de beaucoup de prerogatives …   Dictionnaire de l'Académie française

  • prerogative — ► NOUN 1) a right or privilege exclusive to a particular individual or class. 2) (in UK law) the right of the sovereign, theoretically unrestricted but usually delegated to government or the judiciary. ORIGIN Latin praerogativa the verdict of the …   English terms dictionary

  • prérogative — (pré ro ga ti v ) adj. 1°   À Rome, la centurie prérogative, ou, substantivement, la prérogative, la centurie à laquelle on demandait d abord son suffrage dans les comices. 2°   S. f. La primauté attribuée à cette centurie. 3°   Fig. Tout pouvoir …   Dictionnaire de la Langue Française d'Émile Littré

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