commonwealth

[kom-uhn-welth]

noun

1. (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.

2. the Commonwealth. Commonwealth of Nations.

3. (initial capital letter),  a federation of states.

   the Commonwealth of Australia.

4. (initial capital letter),  a self-governing territory associated with the U.S.: official designation of Puerto Rico.

5. (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.

6. (initial capital letter),  the official designation (rather than “State”) of four states of the U.S.: Kentucky, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, and Virginia.

7. any group of persons united by some common interest.

8. the whole body of people of a nation or state; the body politic.

9. a state in which the supreme power is held by the people; a republican or democratic state.

10. Obsolete.,  the public welfare.

Commonwealth

¹

/ ˈkɒmənˌwɛlθ /

noun

1. 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

2. 1. the republic that existed in Britain from 1649 to 1660

   2. the part of this period up to 1653, when Cromwell became Protector

3. the official designation of Australia, four states of the US (Kentucky, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, and Virginia), and Puerto Rico

commonwealth

²

/ ˈkɒmənˌwɛlθ /

noun

1. the people of a state or nation viewed politically; body politic

2. a state or nation in which the people possess sovereignty; republic

3. the body politic organized for the general good

4. a group of persons united by some common interest

5. obsolete,  the general good; public welfare

Commonwealth

1. A government established in Britain and Ireland in 1649, after the execution of King Charles I. It was in the form of a republic, under the leadership of the parliament. Oliver Cromwell soon assumed the supreme power in the Commonwealth and was given the title Lord Protector. After Cromwell's death in 1658, the Commonwealth quickly lost power, and the Restoration of the monarchy followed in 1660.

Word History and Origins

Origin of commonwealth¹

First recorded in 1375–1425; late Middle English commun welthe; equivalent to common ( def. ) + wealth ( def. )

Example Sentences

“Few partnerships,” Kentucky’s current governor, Andy Beshear, said at Collins’s funeral, “can claim more widespread or impactful results for our commonwealth or our people.”

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

"Firstly, I would like to apologise to Canada for wearing it," he said in a CTV interview while in the commonwealth this week for Remembrance events.

Read more on BBC

She will be the first woman in the commonwealth’s history to hold the role.

Read more on Salon

The commonwealth is home to hundreds of thousands of federal employees, many of whom faced job losses or furloughs during the recent government shutdown.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

They want to keep and improve the island’s current status as a commonwealth.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

• federation 
• society