Rights
Etymology
From Old English “riht,” “straight, just, correct,” from a Proto-Indo-European root “reg-,” “to move in a straight line, to direct, to rule” — also the source of “regal,” “rule,” and “correct.” The path runs from physical straightness to moral correctness to the entitlements that correctness confers.
noun · /RYTES/
Entitlements a person can claim — to act in certain ways or to be treated in certain ways — that others are bound to respect.
What it names
Reach for it when something is owed to a person as a matter of standing, not granted as a favor that can be withdrawn at will.
Example
She knew her rights and refused to answer questions until a lawyer arrived.
Related idea
A right is owed to you and cannot be arbitrarily revoked; a privilege is granted at another’s discretion and can be taken back. Whether voting or healthcare is one or the other is exactly what political fights are about.