prerogativepre‧rog‧a‧tive /prɪˈrɒɡətɪv $ -ˈrɑː-/ noun [countable usually singular] 
Education was once the prerogative of the elite. Arriving late is a woman’s prerogative. the royal prerogative (=the rights of kings and queens)
WORD ORIGINprerogative
Origin:
1300-1400 French prérogative, from Latin praerogativus ‘voting first in a Roman election’, from rogare ‘to ask’EXAMPLES FROM OTHER DICTIONARIES
- Congress has the prerogative to raise taxes.
- If you want to leave early, that's your prerogative.
- In the old days, a university education was the prerogative of the rich.
- The governor has the prerogative to free prisoners.
- Also, he has the confidence to let me know when I use my maternal prerogative to automatically overrule him.
- But, in general, the articulation of the conventional wisdom is a prerogative of academic, public or business position.
- Privileges and prerogatives are revoked; the iron hand of supervisory control is brought to bear.
- Secondly, some forms of work design - autonomous group work in particular - appear to threaten traditional managerial decision-making prerogatives.
- So lofty were these papal prerogatives, that no further Council would ever be needed, or so it seemed to many.
- The dependence of the Reich Chancellor on coalition support sharply restricted his prerogatives.
- The drying up of this reservoir, no less than the loss of wealth itself can rob wealth of its prerogatives.
Longman Language Activatora special right belonging to one person or group
a special right or advantage given to a person or group, because of their high social position, because they are a member of a club etc: · A good education should not just be a privilege of the rich.give somebody a privilege: · Why should famous people be given special privileges?lose a privilege: · If the chores aren't done by the time the timer goes off, the kids lose privileges such as TV time.the privilege of doing something: · If prisoners behave well they are allowed the privilege of visiting their families at the weekend.
formal a special right that only a particular person or group has because of their importance or position: · In the old days, a university education was the prerogative of the rich.prerogative to do something: · The governor has the prerogative to free prisoners.
a right that you should have because you have been born into a particular family, country, class etc: · The President ended his speech by saying "Dignity and self-respect are the birthright of every American citizen."· She seemed to regard an easy, comfortable life as some kind of birthright.
COLLOCATIONS FROM THE ENTRY Arriving late is a woman’s prerogative. the royal prerogative (=the rights of kings and queens)
a right that someone has, especially because of their importance or social positionprerogative of Arriving late is a woman’s prerogative. the royal prerogative (=the rights of kings and queens) Education was once the prerogative of the elite. Arriving late is a woman’s prerogative. the royal prerogative (=the rights of kings and queens)