(initial capital letter) a group of sovereign states and their dependencies associated by their own choice and linked with common objectives and interests.
the British Commonwealth.
the Commonwealth. Commonwealth of Nations.
(initial capital letter) a federation of states.
the Commonwealth of Australia.
(initial capital letter) a self-governing territory associated with the U.S.: official designation of Puerto Rico.
(initial capital letter) the English government from the abolition of the monarchy in 1649 until the establishment of the Protectorate in 1653, sometimes extended to include the restoration of Charles II in 1660.
(initial capital letter) the official designation (rather than “State”) of four states of the U.S.: Kentucky, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, and Virginia.
any group of persons united by some common interest.
the whole body of people of a nation or state; the body politic.
a state in which the supreme power is held by the people; a republican or democratic state.
Obsolete. the public welfare.
the people of a state or nation viewed politically; body politic
a state or nation in which the people possess sovereignty; republic
the body politic organized for the general good
a group of persons united by some common interest
obsolete the general good; public welfare
Official name: the Commonwealth of Nations. an association of sovereign states, almost all of which were at some time dependencies of the UK. All member states recognize the reigning British sovereign as Head of the Commonwealth
the republic that existed in Britain from 1649 to 1660
the part of this period up to 1653, when Cromwell became Protector
the official designation of Australia, four states of the US (Kentucky, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, and Virginia), and Puerto Rico
First recorded in 1375–1425; late Middle English commun welthe; equivalent to common ( def. ) + wealth ( def. )
A commonwealth refers to any group of people organized under a single government, particularly a republic. If you live in the United States of America, you live in a commonwealth. Comprised of the roots common, meaning "belonging to all," and wealth, meaning "happiness or riches," the word commonwealth originally referred to the government of England from 1649 to 1660. Nowadays, a commonwealth has come to mean any government in which all people involved have a say, or a loose formation of nations with a shared loyalty. It is also the official designation of a few states including, Kentucky, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, and Virginia and some U.S. territories.
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Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Nearly 700 staff at Edinburgh and Glasgow Airports voted in favour of walking out, potentially during the World Cup, Commonwealth Games and school summer holidays.
From BBC • May 21, 2026
“The Commission is committed to its constitutionally mandated role to regulate public utilities in the interest of prudent and reasonable rates for ratepayers, businesses and the Commonwealth as a whole,” it added in a statement.
From Barron's • May 18, 2026
That’s the takeaway from a new Commonwealth Foundation report on the state’s two modest programs that offer tax credits to businesses and individuals who donate to scholarship organizations.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 13, 2026
Three-time Olympic medallist Katie Archibald has retired from cycling - despite being previously chosen for Scotland's 2026 Commonwealth Games team - having "fallen in love" with her new career as a nurse.
From BBC • May 12, 2026
Sanborn was at that time editor of The Boston Commonwealth.
From "Harriet Tubman: Conductor on the Underground Railroad" by Ann Petry
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
