Dictionary Definition
entitlement n : right granted by law or contract
(especially a right to benefits); "entitlements make up the major
part of the federal budget"
User Contributed Dictionary
Noun
- the right to have something
- something that one is entitled to (or believes that one is entitled to)
- government payments that are guaranteed to a segment of the population, such as the Pell Grant and social security in the US.
- As good as a process can get without capital investment. Alt. A perceived "right to demand." Opposite of a gift, in that it is without appreciation. A "you owe me" obligation for which, I owe nothing in return.
Translations
the right to have something
- Finnish: oikeutus
- German: Anspruch , Berechtigung
something that one is entitled to
- German: Anspruch
government payments that are guaranteed to a
segment of the population
As good as a process can get without capital
investment
Extensive Definition
Entitlement is a guarantee of access to benefits
because of rights, or by agreement through law. It can also refer, in a more
casual sense to someone's belief that he/she is deserving of some
particular reward or benefit.http://writ.news.findlaw.com/hamilton/20030828.html
It is often used as a negative term in popular parlance (i.e. a
'sense of entitlement'). The legal term, however, carries no value
judgment: it simply denotes a right granted. In clinical psychology
and psychiatry, an unrealistic, exaggerated, or rigidly held sense
of entitlement may be considered a symptom of Narcissistic
Personality Disorder.
In Land Development, the Entitlement Process is
the legal method of obtaining approvals for the right to develop
property for a desired use. (example: Re-zone)
In computer security, it can also refer to
access
control.