disfranchise

Meanings

1. 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. 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.

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.

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