enfranchise
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en·fran·chise

transitive verb \in-ˈfran-ˌchīz, en-\
en·fran·chiseden·fran·chis·ing

Definition of ENFRANCHISE

1
: to set free (as from slavery)
2
: to endow with a franchise: as
a : to admit to the privileges of a citizen and especially to the right of suffrage
b : to admit (a municipality) to political privileges or rights
en·fran·chise·ment \-ˌchīz-mənt, -chəz-\ noun

Examples of ENFRANCHISE

  1. <in a way, modern labor-saving appliances enfranchised people, giving them much more leisure time>

Origin of ENFRANCHISE

Middle English, from Anglo-French enfranchiss-, stem of enfranchir, from en- + franc free — more at frank
First Known Use: 15th century

Other Government and Politics Terms

agent provocateur, agitprop, autarky, cabal, egalitarianism, federalism, hegemony, plenipotentiary, popular sovereignty, socialism

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