Standard Lemma guide

enfranchise

verb · 6 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • /ɛnˈfɹænt͡ʃaɪz/
  • Australia: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • CMU ARPABET: IH0 N F R AE1 N CH AY2 Z Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.

1

verb

Meaning 1

To grant the franchise to an entity, specifically:

To grant the privilege of voting to a person or group of people.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: transitive

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

verb

Meaning 2

To grant the franchise to an entity, specifically:

To grant municipal or parliamentary rights to an entity such as a city or constituency.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: transitive

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

3

verb

Meaning 3

To grant the franchise to an entity, specifically:

To grant freedom from slavery, duty or servitude.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: transitive

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

4

verb

Meaning 4

to convert a copyhold estate into a freehold estate

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: England, Wales, historical

Topics: law, property

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

5

verb

Meaning 5

grant voting rights

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: disenfranchise

Broader terms: accord, allot, grant

6

verb

Meaning 6

grant freedom to; as from slavery or servitude

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • Slaves were enfranchised in the mid-19th century

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: affranchise

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: liberate, set free

History

Etymology

From Old French enfranchir (“to set free, enfranchise”), from en- (“in”) + franchir (“to set free”), equivalent to en- + franchise.

Across languages

Translations

20 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Armenian: ընտրական իրավունք տալ (əntrakan iravunkʻ tal) — to grant the privilege of voting
  • Dutch: stemrecht verlenen — to grant the privilege of voting
  • Finnish: antaa äänioikeus — to grant the privilege of voting
  • Russian: дава́ть избира́тельное пра́во (davátʹ izbirátelʹnoje právo) — to grant the privilege of voting
  • Swedish: ge rösträtt — to grant the privilege of voting
  • Dutch: stadsrecht verlenen — to grant municipal or parliamentary rights
  • Finnish: myöntää kaupunkioikeudet — to grant municipal or parliamentary rights
  • Finnish: perustaa vaalipiiri — to grant municipal or parliamentary rights
  • Swedish: ge stadsprivilegier — to grant municipal or parliamentary rights
  • Swedish: ge stadsrättigheter — to grant municipal or parliamentary rights
  • Armenian: ազատել (azatel) — to grant freedom from servitude
  • Armenian: ազատագրել (azatagrel) — to grant freedom from servitude
  • Dutch: bevrijden van slavernij — to grant freedom from servitude
  • Finnish: vapauttaa — to grant freedom from servitude
  • Hungarian: felszabadít — to grant freedom from servitude
  • Russian: освобожда́ть (osvoboždátʹ) — to grant freedom from servitude
  • Russian: освободи́ть (osvobodítʹ) — to grant freedom from servitude
  • Spanish: enfranquecer — to grant freedom from servitude
  • Swedish: befria — to grant freedom from servitude
  • Swedish: frige — to grant freedom from servitude