PREROGATIVE

[noun] [C usually singular] [formal] - something which some people are able or allowed to do or have, but which is not possible or allowed for everyoneSkiing used to be the prerogative of the rich, but now a far wider range of people do it.Independent schools can exercise/use their prerogative to admit students according to academic ability or to the parents' ability to pay.Defence and foreign policy will remain the prerogative (= responsibility) of the central authorities, while the republics will control their own economies and resources."I'm going to make an official complaint." "Well, that's your prerogative (= you are allowed to do that), of course, but couldn't we talk about other ways of resolving the situation first?"The administration recently held a meeting to discuss presidential prerogatives (= official decisions which the president can make without other people's agreement).He called for the power to declare war to be a decision of Parliament and no longer part of the Royal Prerogative (= the power of the king or queen to make official decisions without other people's agreement).