disfranchise

C2 Topic:Social Issues & Human Rights

US /dɪsˈfræntʃaɪz/ UK /dɪsˈfræntʃaɪz/ See IPA manual

Meanings

1

verb
to deprive a person or group of the right to vote or of another civil right

The property requirement threatened to disfranchise thousands of poorer voters.
2

verb
historical or legal: to strip a person, town, corporation, or guild of chartered rights, status, or privileges

The crown could disfranchise a guild that repeatedly violated the terms of its charter.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 verb · to deprive a person or... disenfranchisedeprive of voting rightsexclude

2 verb · historical or legal: to... deprive of privilegesdecharterdisenfranchise

Opposites

enfranchise empower

Word family

Forms disfranchised

Derived forms disfranchisement

Related forms franchise suffragecivil rightscharter

Etymology

Formed from dis-, expressing deprivation, + franchise. Franchise came through Old French franchise, 'freedom, exemption, or privilege,' from franc, 'free.' The older sense covered loss of any chartered privilege before the word became strongly associated with voting rights.

Topics

Social Issues & Human Rights

External links

# disfranchise

**Type:** Word
**Level:** C2
**Part of speech:** verb
**IPA (US):** /dɪsˈfræntʃaɪz/
**IPA (UK):** /dɪsˈfræntʃaɪz/

## Meanings
1. to deprive a person or group of the right to vote or of another civil right
2. historical or legal: to strip a person, town, corporation, or guild of chartered rights, status, or privileges

## Examples
- The property requirement threatened to disfranchise thousands of poorer voters.
- The crown could disfranchise a guild that repeatedly violated the terms of its charter.

## Synonyms
- disenfranchise
- deprive of voting rights
- deprive of privileges
- exclude

## Antonyms
- enfranchise
- empower

## Derived Forms
- disfranchisement

## Related Forms
- franchise
- suffrage
- civil rights
- charter

## Etymology
Formed from dis-, expressing deprivation, + franchise. Franchise came through Old French franchise, 'freedom, exemption, or privilege,' from franc, 'free.' The older sense covered loss of any chartered privilege before the word became strongly associated with voting rights.

## Topics
- Social Issues & Human Rights

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