Origin: Latin suffix -ment
Entitlement has 2 different meanings across 1 category:
right granted by law or contract (especially a right to benefits)
"entitlements make up the major part of the federal budget"
The right to have something, whether actual or perceived.
"The employee felt a strong sense of entitlement to a promotion after working there for ten years."
In plain English: Entitlement is when someone feels they deserve something special just because of who they are, without having to earn it first.
"Many people feel they have an entitlement to free healthcare because they are citizens."
Usage: Use this term when discussing legal rights or social benefits rather than personal feelings of deservingness. Avoid confusing the noun with the verb "entitle," which means to give someone a right.
The word entered English as a combination of entitle and the suffix -ment. It originally referred to the act of giving someone a right or claim rather than just describing the state of having one today.