enfranchise

English

WOTD – 6 June 2012

Etymology

From Old French enfranchir (“to set free, enfranchise”), from en- (“in”) + franchir (“to set free”).

Pronunciation

IPA^(key): /ɛnˈfɹænt͡ʃaɪz/
Audio (AU) (file)

Verb

enfranchise (third-person singular simple present enfranchises, present participle enfranchising, simple past and past participle enfranchised)

To grant the franchise to an entity, specifically:
1. To grant the privilege of voting to a person or group of people.
2. To grant municipal or parliamentary rights to an entity such as a city or constituency.
3. To grant freedom from slavery or servitude.

Translations

to grant the privilege of voting

Armenian: ընտրական իրավունք տալ (əntrakan iravunkʿ tal)
Dutch: stemrecht verlenen
Finnish: antaa äänioikeus

Russian: дава́ть избира́тельное пра́во impf (davátʹ izbirátelʹnoje právo)
Swedish: ge rösträtt

to grant municipal or parliamentary rights

Dutch: stadsrecht verlenen
Finnish: myöntää kaupunkioikeudet (municipal), perustaa vaalipiiri (parliamentary)

Swedish: ge stadsprivilegier (municipal), ge stadsrättigheter (municipal)

to grant freedom from servitude

Armenian: ազատել (hy) (azatel), ազատագրել (hy) (azatagrel)
Dutch: bevrijden van slavernij
Finnish: vapauttaa (fi)

Hungarian: felszabadít (hu)
Russian: освобожда́ть (ru) impf (osvoboždátʹ), освободи́ть (ru) pf (osvobodítʹ)
Swedish: befria (sv), frige

Related terms

franchise
disenfranchise