prerogative
Americannoun
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an exclusive right, privilege, etc., exercised by virtue of rank, office, or the like.
the prerogatives of a senator.
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a right, privilege, etc., limited to a specific person or to persons of a particular category.
It was the teacher's prerogative to stop the discussion.
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a power, immunity, or the like restricted to a sovereign government or its representative.
The royal prerogative exempts the king from taxation.
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Obsolete. precedence.
adjective
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having or exercising a prerogative.
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pertaining to, characteristic of, or existing by virtue of a prerogative.
noun
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an exclusive privilege or right exercised by a person or group of people holding a particular office or hereditary rank
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any privilege or right
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a power, privilege, or immunity restricted to a sovereign or sovereign government
adjective
Related Words
See privilege.
Etymology
Origin of prerogative
First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English, from Latin praerogātīvus (adjective) “voting first,” praerogātīva (noun use of feminine of adjective) “tribe or century with right to vote first.” See pre-, interrogative
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Of course, raising prices is a restaurant owner’s prerogative; many have no choice if they want to stay in business these days.
“It’s always gonna be my prerogative as editor of this newsroom to say that I want more information, and to push to get more information,” she said.
From Los Angeles Times
He added that he was increasing tariff rates "because the Korean Legislature hasn't enacted our Historic Trade Agreement, which is their prerogative."
From Barron's
"Some people will never want to disclose their menopausal status at work, no matter how compassionate or supportive their organisation is, and that is absolutely their prerogative," she adds.
From BBC
Mr. Mamdani is duly elected, and it’s his prerogative to destroy the Big Apple’s housing supply as he sees fit.
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
