prerogative

/pɹɪˈɹɒɡətɪv/prih-RO-guh-tiv

/pɹɪˈɹɑɡətɪv/prih-RAH-guh-tiv

Meaningasked first

Common meaning: a special right

prebefore
rogto askLewis & Short, Latin Dictionary (1879), p. 1598 · scan
ativeadjective ending: tending to

‘before’ + ‘to ask’ → prerogative

Journey through time

Latinrogō, rogāvī‘to ask’
Old Frenchprerogativesource
Englishprerogative‘a special right’ · today

pre- also in: prefix precede precise predict preface

rog also in: abrogate arrogant derogatory interrogate

Sources & notes

Meaning: “Meaning” is the sense that emerges from the word’s roots; “Common meaning” is today’s everyday sense. Both written by us.

Pronunciation

UK IPA: converted from the US form by rule (unchecked). Respelling: generated.
No UK recording; the speaker uses your device’s en-GB voice.
US IPA: CMUdict (BSD-2), converted to IPA by rule. Respelling: generated.
No US recording; the speaker uses your device’s en-US voice.

Origin: Built on Latin rogō ‘to ask’.

Did you know: our wording, based on Lewis & Short, Latin Dictionary (1879), entry rogō, p. 1598 · dictionary scan; Skeat, Etymological Dictionary (1898), entry PREROGATIVE, p. 464 · dictionary scan

Roots

rogō, rogāvī Latin “to ask”

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