The word for today is…

prerogative (noun) – 1. An exclusive right or privilege held by a person or group, especially a hereditary or official right.

  1. The exclusive right and power to command, decide, rule, or judge.

Source : The Free Dictionary

Etymology : In ancient Rome, voting at legal assemblies was done by group, with the majority in a group determining its vote. The group chosen to vote first on an issue was called the praerogativa (that term traces to a verb meaning “to ask for an opinion before another”). Because the first vote was considered to be of great importance, Latin speakers also used the noun praerogativa to mean “preference” and later “privilege.” As praerogativa passed through Anglo-French and Middle English, its spelling shifted to create the noun we know today.

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