enfranchise
Meaning
to give someone the right to vote in an election
to give a person or group a right or privilege, especially the status of a free citizen
Structure
Usage
the reform act of 1832 helped enfranchise a larger portion of the male population.
the company's policy is to enfranchise all employees with stock options.
several constitutional amendments were enacted to enfranchise previously disenfranchised groups.
Etymology
the word 'enfranchise' entered english in the late 16th century from anglo-french 'enfranchiss-', the stem of 'enfranchir', meaning 'to set or make free'. this french term is built from 'en-' (a causative prefix) and 'franc' (free). the root 'franc' originates from the medieval latin 'francus', referring to the franks, a germanic people whose status as conquerors in gaul granted them freedom, unlike the subjugated populace. thus, the literal morphemic logic of 'cause to be free' evolved from denoting the granting of legal liberty to the specific modern abstract meanings of granting the right to vote or bestowing civic privileges.
Analysis
'en-' is a prefix of French origin, ultimately from Latin 'in-', meaning 'to put into, to cause to be'. 'franchise' is a noun of French origin, from 'franc' meaning 'free', with the suffix '-ise' forming a verb.