enfranchise

 
Pronunciation: /ɪnˈfran(t)ʃʌɪz, ɛn-/

verb

[with object]
  • 1give the right to vote to: a proposal that foreigners should be enfranchised for local elections
  • historical give (a town) the right to be represented in Parliament.
  • 2 historical free (a slave).

Derivatives

enfranchisement

noun

Origin:

late Middle English (formerly also as infranchise): from Old French enfranchiss-, lengthened stem of enfranchir, from en- (expressing a change of state) + franc, franche 'free'

Spelling help

Unlike most verbs ending in -ise, enfranchise cannot be spelled with an -ize ending.