[syn: prerogative, privilege, perquisite, exclusive right]
The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:
Perquisite \Per"qui*site\, n. [L. perquisitum, fr. perquisitus,
p. p. of perquirere to ask for diligently; per + quaerere to
seek. See Per-, and Quest.]
1. Something gained from a place or employment over and above
the ordinary salary or fixed wages for services rendered;
-- examples are, a fee allowed by law to an officer for a
specific service; the use of a company automobile or other
company property.
Syn: perk.
[1913 Webster + PJC]
The pillage of a place taken by storm was regarded
as the perquisite of the soldiers. --Prescott.
[1913 Webster]
The best perquisites of a place are the advantages
it gaves a man of doing good. --Addison.
[1913 Webster]
2. pl. (Law) Things gotten by a man's own industry, or
purchased with his own money, as opposed to things which
come to him by descent. --Mozley & W.
[1913 Webster]
WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006):
perquisite
n 1: an incidental benefit awarded for certain types of
employment (especially if it is regarded as a right); "a
limousine is one of the fringe benefits of the job" [syn:
fringe benefit, perquisite, perk]
2: a right reserved exclusively by a particular person or group
(especially a hereditary or official right); "suffrage was
the prerogative of white adult males" [syn: prerogative,
privilege, perquisite, exclusive right]