disfranchisement
disfranchisement Lexical Profile
• noun
The state of being deprived of a right or privilege, especially the right to vote; the act of depriving someone of such a right.
"Historians have extensively documented the systematic disfranchisement of minority voters through poll taxes and literacy tests."
The state of being marginalized, alienated, or deprived of power and representation within society.
"Economic decline in the region led to a widespread sense of political disfranchisement among young workers."
Word Nuance & Usage
"Disfranchisement" and "disenfranchisement" are interchangeable in meaning, though "disenfranchisement" is significantly more common in modern usage while "disfranchisement" is the older form.
• Nearby Words
Word Origin & Etymology
Formed in the early 17th century from the verb "disfranchise" and the suffix "-ment", ultimately tracing back to Old French "franchir" (to set free), derived from "franc" (free).
Usage Trend
Historical frequency of usage in published text.