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