sovereignty

American  

[sov-rin-tee, suhv-] / ˈsɒv rɪn ti, ˈsʌv- /

noun

• sovereignties
  plural

1. 

   the quality or state of being sovereign, or of having supreme power or authority.

2. the status, dominion, power, or authority of a sovereign; royal rank or position; royalty.

3. supreme and independent power or authority in government as possessed or claimed by a state or community.

4. rightful status, independence, or prerogative.

5. a sovereign or independent state, community, or political unit.

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sovereignty British  

/ ˈsɒvrəntɪ /

noun

1. supreme and unrestricted power, as of a state

2. the position, dominion, or authority of a sovereign

3. an independent state

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sovereignty Cultural  

1. A nation or state's supreme power within its borders. A government might respond, for example, to criticism from foreign governments of its treatment of its own citizens by citing its rights of sovereignty.

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• self-sovereignty
  noun
• supersovereignty
  noun

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• sovereignties
  plural

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Etymology

Origin of sovereignty

First recorded in 1300–50; Middle English soverainte, from Anglo-French sovereynete, from Old French soverainete, equivalent to soverain sovereign + -ete -ty ²

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Explanation

Sovereignty can describe the power of one state or thing over another or the freedom a state or thing has to control itself. Look closely at the word sovereignty, and you will see it is all about who reigns, or rules. Although sovereignty is usually used in a political sense — particularly the power of nations, it can be used to describe personal control as well: If your mother insists upon your wearing wool hats in summertime, you might declare complete sovereignty over your wardrobe. The word is also occasionally used for the power of royalty, like a queen.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

sovereignty sovereignties

I found quite a bit of sovereignty in that, knowing that I truly don’t need anyone else to to be happy.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 15, 2026

The expansion came at an enormous cost to Native Americans, who were displaced and deprived of their sovereignty, and to Mexicans, whose country lost half its territory.

From Salon ● Oct. 13, 2026

The defence says the militia group staged an illegal kidnapping when diplomatic negotiations stalled, in a process which showed "an utter disregard for Libyan law and sovereignty."

From BBC ● Oct. 12, 2026

On the agenda were topics ranging from cybersecurity at a time of increasing geopolitical risk, to financial crime policy as a national security tool, to digital sovereignty in the tech supply chain.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 6, 2026

The imperatives of their collaboration, plus the need to present a united front against the Federalists, took precedence over their incompatible notions of where sovereignty resided in the American republic.

From "Founding Brothers: The Revolutionary Generation" by Joseph J. Ellis

"Lines on maps started to symbolize the limits of political sovereignties rather than the boundless divine promises. This transformed the way that the Bible's descriptions of geographical space were understood."

From Science Daily ● Nov. 30, 2025

But a terrorist organization is by definition a nongovernmental entity that operates along the creases of national sovereignties and international law.

From Washington Post ● Jan. 9, 2020

All the most recent states — South Sudan, East Timor, Eritrea — were carved from existing sovereignties in the wake of bitter civil wars.

From New York Times ● Aug. 11, 2015

The new digital sovereignties have begun to clash with conventional nation-states.

From Slate ● Jan. 31, 2012

You will bear in mind that there were no two sovereignties over these United Colonies at that time.

From Trial of the Officers and Crew of the Privateer Savannah, on the Charge of Piracy, in the United States Circuit Court for the Southern District of New York by A. F. Warburton

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Related Words

• dominance
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