local-option
UK[ˈləʊkl ˈɒpʃn]US[ˈloʊkl ˈɑːpʃn]
n
The power granted to a local political unit (such as a county or municipality) to decide by popular vote whether to permit or prohibit a specific activity, especially the sale of alcoholic beverages, within its jurisdiction.
Morpheme Breakdown
local
option
local
pertaining to a place
option
choice
Etymology
The term 'local-option' is a modern compound, primarily from the late 19th century, created within the English language by combining two established words of Latin origin. 'Local' traces back to the Latin locus, a foundational concept for place and position, while 'option' derives from optare, implying desire and choice. The compound's logic is transparently literal: a 'choice' (option) exercised at the level of a specific 'place' (local). It gained its primary, concrete meaning in the context of temperance movements, where it referred to the legal mechanism allowing a local community to vote on whether to be "wet" or "dry." Thus, the abstract notions of place and selection were combined to form a specific term for a decentralized, democratic policy tool.
Analysis
Structure: local (pertaining to a place) + option (choice)
- local: From Latin localis (pertaining to a place), from locus (place). In this compound, it functions as an adjective specifying the scope or level of authority.
- option: From Latin optio (choice, free will), from optare (to choose, desire). In this compound, it functions as a noun denoting the power or right to make a choice.
Examples
The state legislature passed a law allowing counties to exercise a local-option on the sale of liquor.
The town voted for prohibition under the local-option statute, banning all alcohol sales.
Advocates argued that a local-option was the fairest way to handle the divisive issue, respecting community differences.