suffrage

Etymology

From Middle English suffrage (“prayers or pleas on behalf of another”), from Old French, from Medieval Latin suffragium, from Latin suffragium (“support, vote, right of voting”). The sense of "vote" or "right to vote" was directly derived from classical Latin.

noun

1. (uncountable) The right or chance to vote, express an opinion, or participate in a decision, especially in a democratic elections.
   universal suffrage, women's suffrage, negro suffrage
   The issues to be presented to the people of the state were black suffrage and woman suffrage. The Equal Rights Association committed all its limited resources to the Kansas campaign. 1999, Ellen Carol DuBois, Feminism and Suffrage: The Emergence of an Independent Women's Movement in America, 1848-1869, Cornell University Press, page 79
   1. (US) The right of women to vote.
      What role did the House of Commons play in the political life of the nation in the aftermath of suffrage? There is surprisingly little historiography to help answer the question. 2013-05-28, Julie V. Gottlieb, Richard Toye, The Aftermath of Suffrage: Women, Gender, and Politics in Britain, 1918-1945, Springer
2. (countable) A vote in deciding a particular question.
   But the President himself says that " upon him has been devolved, by the constitution, and the suffrages of the American people, the duty of superintending the operation of the executive departments of the Government, 1833, Henry Clay, edited by Thomas Hart Benton, Abridgment of the Debates of Congress, from 1789 to 1856, published 1859, page 213
   Hence, by rendering the suffrages secret in the Roman republic, all was lost; it was no longer possible to direct a populace that sought its own destruction 1822, Edward Wynne, William Meechan Bythewood, Eunomus: or, Dialogues concerning the law and constitution of England, volume 2, page 369
3. (countable, Christianity) A prayer, for example a prayer offered for the faithful dead.
   1564, Pope Pius IV (unknown translator), Creed of Pope Pius IV I firmly believe that there is a purgatory, and that the souls therein detained are helped by the suffrages of the faithful.
   As these holy prayers and suffrages following are set forth of most godly zeal for edifying and stirring of devotion of all true faithful Christian hearts […] 1969, G. J. Cuming, A history of Anglican liturgy
   In explaining and defending suffrages for the dead, Catholic argument repeatedly involved the assumption of the importance of time. 2006, John E. Curran, Hamlet, Protestantism, and the Mourning of Contingency: Not to Be, page 86
4. (countable, Christianity) A short petition, as those after the creed in matins and evensong.
   Lastly, in this suffrage, we intercede for prisoners and captives; we "remember them that are in bonds, as bound with them." 1904, John Newton McCormick, The litany and the life: a series of studies in the litany ..., page 222
5. (uncountable) Aid, intercession.
   Retoricyons and oratours, in freſhe humanyte Support parrot, I pray you wᵗ your ſuffrage ornate c. 1521, John Skelton, Speke Parott
6. Testimony; attestation; witness; approval.
   Lactantius and St. Austin are not afraid to confirm by their suffrage the observation made by the heathen writers, that[…] 1707, Francis Atterbury, Sermons and Discourses on Several Subjects and Occasions, volume 2, published 1740, Sermon IV, page 137
   Every miracle is the suffrage of heaven to the truth of a doctrine. a. 1716, Robert South, Sermons Preached Upon Several Occasions, volume 8, published 1744, Sermon XIV, page 412