enfranchisement

[ en-fran-chahyz-muhnt, -chiz- ]

noun

1. admission to citizenship, especially to the right of voting:

   Their government introduced land reform and female enfranchisement in the early 1960s.

2. the act of giving a person or group the rights or privileges of full participation in society or in any community or organization, especially the opportunity to influence policy or make their voice heard:

   We are starting to see the end of long-standing barriers to the full enfranchisement of people of color in the business world.

3. the act of liberating or freeing someone or something, as from slavery or from some disabling constraint:

   To some, the Reformation was the enfranchisement of the individual from bondage to corrupt religious tradition.

4. the act of endowing a city, constituency, etc., with municipal rights or the right to be represented in parliament:

   The enfranchisement of towns in the 11th century was the fruit of a war declared by urban populations against their lords.

5. the act of granting a franchise to an individual, group, or company to own and operate a business, major-league sports team, or public utility:

   The enfranchisement of lawyer Joe Robbie and actor Danny Thomas in 1965 made the Miami Dolphins the ninth team in the AFL.

6. British. a legal process giving the tenant of a leasehold the right to purchase freehold of the property or to extend the lease, often up to the end of life:

   Enfranchisement will be refused where the property stands on land which is held inalienably by the landlord.

Word History and Origins

Origin of enfranchisement¹

First recorded in 1570–80; enfranchise ( def ) + -ment ( def )

Example Sentences

The implication isn't hard to suss out: if women use our enfranchisement to vote for our rights, then we're somehow "abusing" our right to vote.

From Salon

Throughout the 1970s, the pursuit of public aid, affirmative action and political enfranchisement was funneled by federal policymakers into private enterprise.

From Seattle Times

When I first started reading about Guam, I imagined the solution was enfranchisement, voting rights, equal opportunity under the law, statehood: more so-called American ideals.

From New York Times

Asner’s time in office was not a dull one — he was criticized for his liberal politics, particularly for his criticism of then-President Reagan — but involved a consistent message of enfranchisement.

From Los Angeles Times

Some lawmakers want to create higher barriers to enfranchisement.

From Seattle Times

Related Words

• autonomy
• citizenship
• democracy
• emancipation
• exemption
• immunity
• liberation
• privilege
• release
• relief
• self-determination
• self-government
• sovereignty