4 syllables: Pre, ro, ga, tive. Stress on ro.
prir-AH-guh-tiv
/pɹɪˈɹɑɡətɪv/
Prerogative is pronounced prir-AH-guh-tiv (/pɹɪˈɹɑɡətɪv/). It has four syllables (Pre-ro-ga-tive), with the stress on "ro". Prerogative (noun) refers to a right or privilege exclusive to an individual or group, often due to status or authority. It denotes a discretionary power or choice that others do not possess. The term is commonly used to describe actions or decisions exercised by someone in a position of control or leadership. It emphasizes entitlement and discretion in making judgments or determining courses of action.
nounPrerogative (noun) refers to a right or privilege exclusive to an individual or group, often due to status or authority. It denotes a discretionary power or choice that others do not possess. The term is commonly used to describe actions or decisions exercised by someone in a position of control or leadership. It emphasizes entitlement and discretion in making judgments or determining courses of action.
- You may default to stressing the first syllable (PRER-o-ga-tive). Train yourself to place primary stress on the second syllable (pri-RÓ-ga-tive) and keep the /ɡ/ hard as in 'go'. - The middle /ɒ/ can become a schwa-like /ə/ in rapid speech, which blurs the /ˈrɒɡ/ cluster. Focus on a distinct /ɒ/ then a crisp /ɡ/ with no vowel intrusion. - Final /tɪv/ can be reduced to /tɪ/ or /t/ in fast speech; practice maintaining /tɪv/ even when talking fast.
How to Pronounce Prerogative
"In many organizations, the CEO has the prerogative to approve major budgets."
"The judge’s prerogative is to interpret the law within the bounds of precedent."
"Calling the shots on new hires is often a prerogative of the department head."
You say /prɪˈrɒɡətɪv/. The primary stress is on the second syllable: pri-ROG-a-tive. Start with /prɪ/ (like 'pre' in 'prelude'), then /ˈrɒɡ/ (rhymes with 'log'), followed by /ətɪv/. In careful speech, emphasize the /ˈrɒɡ/ and clearly articulate the final /ɪv/. For audio references, you can compare with reputable dictionaries or language videos that demonstrate the stress pattern, and practice with a recording to match the rhythm: pre-Ro-GA-tive.
Common errors include placing the primary stress on the first syllable (pre-RO-ga-tive) and mispronouncing the middle /ɡ/ as a soft or nasal sound. Some speakers insert an extra syllable or drop the final /v/ to /f/ (prerogat-iV or prerogatif). The correct form keeps stress on the second syllable, uses a hard /ɡ/ as in 'log,' and ends with /tɪv/. Practice by isolating the /ˈrɒɡ/ cluster and ensuring the /t/ is unreleased or lightly released depending on speed.
In US English, you’ll hear /prɪˈrɒɡətɪv/ with a slightly flatter vowel in /ɒ/ and a rhotic /r/; UK English tends to a clearer /ɒ/ and less rhoticity in rapid speech, yielding /prɪˈrɒɡətɪv/. Australian speakers align closely with UK patterns but may reduce the first vowel slightly and maintain clear /ɹ/ and /ɡ/ articulations. The second syllable stress remains consistent; the final /ɪv/ is typically pronounced with a light, quick ending in all three varieties.
Difficulties center on the unstressed first syllable leading to potential reduction (prə-). The /rɒɡ/ cluster might be misarticulated as /rɔɡ/ or /rəɡ/ and the /ɡə/ sequence can blur with /ɡət/ when spoken quickly. Additionally, the final /ɪv/ requires a crisp /v/ or a subtle /f/ variant in rapid conversation. You’ll hear and benefit from slowing down to clearly articulate the /ˈrɒɡ/ and then enunciate the final /ətɪv/.
A common, word-specific inquiry is whether the middle /r/ is pronounced with a full rhotic /r/ or a reduced /ɹ/ in non-rhotic varieties. In most standard dialects, you’ll maintain the /r/ sound before the vowel, as in /prɪˈrɒɡətɪv/. In non-rhotic speech, the /r/ may be less pronounced or blended but remains audible in careful speech.
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- US: rhotic /r/ and flatter /ɒ/; ensure you pronounce /ˈrɒ/ clearly, with a slight American 'r' movement after the initial /prɪ/ cluster. - UK: clearer /ɒ/ and longer final syllable; keep the /r/ less pronounced unless indicating emphasis. - AU: similar to UK with a slightly more centralized vowel in /ə/ in unstressed syllables; keep the middle /ɡ/ robust and the final /ɪv/ perceptible. Reference IPA: /prɪˈrɒɡətɪv/.
Prerogative comes from Old French prerogatif, from Medieval Latin prerogativus, meaning ‘deserving to be preferred,’ and ultimately from Latin prae- ‘before’ + rogare ‘to ask, demand.’ The modern sense—as a special power or privilege of a person in authority—emerged in English in the 16th century. The root rog- appears in several related terms tied to asking or choosing. Historically, prerogative referred to the crown’s exclusive rights in monarchies, but by the 17th–18th centuries it broadened to denote discretionary privileges of officials and individuals in governance. The word traveled through legal and political discourse, retaining connotations of prerogation and privilege even as many prerogatives became codified or restricted by constitutions and statutes. First known uses surface in legal and courtly contexts, often alongside phrases indicating exclusive rights, privilege, or immunities. Today, prerogative endures as a formal label for discretionary power, while in everyday language it often carries a sense of rightful authority not everyone possesses.
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💡 These words have similar meanings to "Prerogative" and can often be used interchangeably.
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Words that rhyme with "Prerogative"
-ive sounds
Practice with these rhyming pairs to improve your pronunciation consistency:
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