Kenneth G. Wilson (1923–). The Columbia Guide to Standard American English. 1993.
disfranchise, disenfranchise (vv.)
The two verbs are exact synonyms meaning “to remove, cancel, or take away the franchise.” Disfranchise is older and more frequent than disenfranchise. The noun franchise is the key: it means “the right to vote,” “a privilege granted by an authority,” or “an exclusive right to sell a product in a particular area” or “the area itself,” plus some other figurative uses. To enfranchise and to franchise are also synonyms, meaning “to grant a franchise.” The prefix dis- reverses the meanings of franchise and enfranchise alike.
