n.
Pronunciation: pri- ' rä-g ə -tiv
Function: noun
Etymology: Middle English, from Anglo-French & Latin; Anglo-French, from Latin praerogativa, Roman century voting first in the comitia, privilege, from feminine of praerogativus voting first, from praerogatus, past participle of praerogare to ask for an opinion before another, from prae- + rogare to ask ― more at RIGHT
Date: 15th century
1 a : an exclusive or special right, power, or privilege: as (1) : one belonging to an office or an official body (2) : one belonging to a person, group, or class of individuals (3) : one possessed by a nation as an attribute of sovereignty b : the discretionary power inhering in the British Crown
2 : a distinctive excellence
– pre · rog · a · tived \ -tivd \ adjective