prerogative

noun

pre·​rog·​a·​tive pri-ˈrä-gə-tiv How to pronounce prerogative (audio)
1
a
: an exclusive or special right, power, or privilege: such as
(1)
: one belonging to an office or an official body
(2)
: one belonging to a person, group, or class of individuals
(3)
: one possessed by a nation as an attribute of sovereignty
b
: the discretionary power inhering in the British Crown
2
: a distinctive excellence
prerogatived adjective

Did you know?

In ancient Rome, voting at legal assemblies was done by group, with the majority in a group determining the vote. The group chosen to vote first on an issue was called the praerogātīva, a word rooted in Latin rogāre, “to ask; to ask an assembly for a decision.” When English adopted prerogative from Latin, via Anglo-French, in the 15th century, it took only the idea of the privilege the ancient Roman voting group enjoyed; the English word referred then, as it also does now, to an exclusive or special right, power, or privilege. Often such a prerogative is tied to an office, official body, or nation, but as Bobby Brown reminded us in his 1988 song “My Prerogative,” the right to live as you like can also be referred to as a prerogative.

Examples of prerogative in a Sentence

That sense that the future may not last for long is often assumed to be a prerogative of youth, the dialectical complement of another misconception the young are noted for—the conviction that they are immortal. Thomas M. Disch, Atlantic, February 1992
More important than any of this, he offered himself as an incarnation of constitutional propriety so that, temperamentally stubborn, he was careful never to exceed the limits of a prerogative overexploited by the later Stuarts. Simon Schama, The Embarrassment of Riches, 1988
The secularization of the Presidency is indispensable for the reassertion of congressional and popular prerogative. Arthur M. Schlesinger, Jr., The Cycles of American History, 1986
If you'd rather sell the tickets than use them, that's your prerogative. It's a writer's prerogative to decide the fate of her characters.
Recent Examples on the Web If swapping Speed Sticks makes Richard queasier than swapping saliva, that’s his weird prerogative. John Hodgman, New York Times, 1 Mar. 2024 According to Vance, the latest assault on Trump’s prerogatives has taken the form of legislation designed to aid our partners abroad in their fights against America’s enemies, and the authors of the former president’s forthcoming torment are his fellow Republicans. Noah Rothman, National Review, 12 Feb. 2024 But that is their prerogative and right, and their money, so who is to question them about that really? Jay Adkisson, Forbes, 10 Feb. 2024 The best thing about bein’ Jason Kelce is the prerogative to have a little fun at football games. Hannah Dailey, Billboard, 26 Jan. 2024 Must a filmmaker’s obligation to history always supersede their prerogative to entertain? Justin Chang, Los Angeles Times, 14 Dec. 2023 As Andy McCarthy has repeatedly pointed out, the right to a speedy trial belongs to the defendant, but Smith has transformed it into a prerogative of a panicked prosecutor trying to outrace the political calendar. Rich Lowry, National Review, 14 Jan. 2024 On the whole, U.S. officials have maintained their backing of IDF operations in Gaza, deferring often to Israeli prerogatives. Shalom Lipner, Foreign Affairs, 29 Dec. 2023 German Vice Chancellor Robert Habeck’s video condemning anti-Semitism was a bracing reassertion of each of those prerogatives of sovereignty. WSJ, 14 Nov. 2023

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'prerogative.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Middle English prerogatif, prerogative, borrowed from Anglo-French, borrowed from Latin praerogātīva "the century (Roman voting unit) on which the lot fell to vote first, the verdict of that century (seen as predicting the outcome of the whole vote), omen, prior choice, prior right or claim," (short for centuria praerogātīva "century voting first"), from feminine of praerogātīvus "appointed by lot to vote first," from prae- pre- + rogātus, past participle of rogāre "to ask, ask (an assembly for a decision)" + -īvus -ive — more at rogation

Note: Latin praerogātīvus was probably formed in the manner indicated, rather than as a derivative of praerogāre "to ask or propose beforehand, pay in advance," not attested before the 4th century a.d.

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of prerogative was in the 15th century

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Dictionary Entries Near prerogative

Cite this Entry

“Prerogative.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/prerogative. Accessed 18 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

prerogative

noun
pre·​rog·​a·​tive pri-ˈräg-ət-iv How to pronounce prerogative (audio)
: a special right or privilege given because of one's rank or position

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