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In the interpretation promoted by Pompeo, however, women’s rights or L.G.B.T. rights are somehow additional to basic human rights—ad-hoc rights, alienable rights.—Masha Gessen, The New Yorker, 10 July 2019 And values and alienable rights in our Constitution.—Fox News, 10 July 2018 That military service is alienable, through restrictions on membership necessary for our military to fulfill its purpose, automatically rules it out as a right.—Philip H. Devoe, National Review, 3 Aug. 2017
Word History
Etymology
probably borrowed from French aliénable, going back to Middle French, from aliener "to transfer (a property, right, etc.) to another's ownership" + -able-able — more at alien entry 3
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