prerogative Hear it!

prerogative Definition

pre·roga·tive (prē räg′ə tiv, pri-)

noun

  1. a prior or exclusive right or privilege, esp. one peculiar to a rank, class, etc.
  2. a distinctively superior advantage
  3. Obsolete priority or precedence

Etymology: ME prerogatif < MFr < L praerogativa, called upon to vote first < praerogare, to ask before < prae-, before + rogare, to ask: see rogation

adjective

of or having a prerogative

prerogative Synonyms

prerogative

n.

privilege, advantage, exemption; see right 1.

prerogative Usage Examples

Preposition: of

  • harlot: Sue Cameron " Power without responsibility - the prerogative of the harlot throughout the ages.
  • government: But many key areas of economic reform such as labor markets and pension systems remained the prerogative of national governments.
  • state: Defense is to remain unanimous and the prerogative of the nation state.

Converse of object

  • remain: This remained the prerogative of physicians, an elite group who rarely went to sea.
  • exercise: The doctrine of election demonstrates God being God, exercising divine prerogatives.
  • claim: Jesus claims the very prerogatives of the one God.
  • become: Are some observers right to be concerned that foreign language learning is again becoming an elitist prerogative?
  • have: Well, God says I have the prerogative to destroy like I did the 3,000.
  • use: It is exercised by the executive using the royal prerogative.

Adjective modifier

  • royal: By constitutional law, the timing of a general election is an issue of royal prerogative.
  • managerial: In industry, ' macho managers ' supported by the government reasserted their managerial prerogative.
  • divine: Existing in the form of God means having divine prerogatives, being God's virtual equal.. .
  • sole: Squandering of these precious reserves seems to be the sole prerogative of Western Society, to the detriment of everyone.
  • exclusive: Furthermore, the performance of these rites was the exclusive prerogative of the priests.
  • own: The insurance industry own prerogative the four center pins.

Modifies a noun

  • writ: In particular, any such question of jurisdiction was reviewable by the High Court by way of prerogative writ.
  • power: Thus he would concede his royal or prerogative powers in exchange for money to fight the war against France.
  • court: From 1660 this court was merged with the Prerogative Court of the Archbishop of York which had a wider jurisdiction - see below.
  • order: There are three Prerogative Orders: Certiorari calls a case up from an inferior court to a superior one to ensure justice is done.
  • instrument: This was permitted under the terms of the public service scheme as it is governed by the rules of prerogative instruments.
prerogative Quotes

Reason to rule, but mercy to forgive: The first is law, the last prerogative.

—Dryden,John

The House of Lords, an illusion to which I have never been able to subscribeöresponsibility without power, the prerogative of the eunuch throughout the ages. See Baldwin 54:46.

—Stoppard, SirTom originally Tom Straussler