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• commonwealth
  commonwealth

  noun

  a group of sovereign states and their dependencies associated by their own choice and linked with common objectives and interests.
• Commonwealth
  Commonwealth

  noun

  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

commonwealth

American  

[kom-uhn-welth] / ˈkɒm ənˌwɛlθ /

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.

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Commonwealth ¹ British  

/ 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

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commonwealth ² British  

/ 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

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Commonwealth Cultural  

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.

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Etymology

Origin of commonwealth

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

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Explanation

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.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

commonwealth Commonwealth

That means this case is far from over, with plenty of options—and questions— remaining about Clancy’s fate—and if and how the commonwealth of Massachusetts will try her again.

From Slate ● Sep. 4, 2026

Now, the commonwealth consistently ranks among the top states for book challenges, a distinction unknown to many of her students.

From Salon ● Apr. 26, 2026

She appreciates, however, that her school district remains staunchly anti-censorship and gender-affirming in a commonwealth that ranks high for censorship.

From Salon ● Apr. 26, 2026

From there the King and Queen will visit Virginia, before heading to the commonwealth country of Bermuda.

From BBC ● Apr. 20, 2026

They called the flood and all its effects part of the secret commonwealth.

From "The Book of Dust: La Belle Sauvage" by Philip Pullman

She qualified for that year's World Championships, Commonwealth Games and European Championships in what was an unusually condensed season owing to the backlog from the pandemic.

From BBC ● Oct. 16, 2026

He was also forced to miss his anticipated England debut at the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow in July after crashing during a keirin event in Japan.

From BBC ● Oct. 12, 2026

Charles, 77, who is still receiving treatment for cancer, will visit former colonies that are now independent from Britain and are members of the British Commonwealth.

From Barron's ● Oct. 2, 2026

More than half of eligible families knew of Trump accounts according to Commonwealth, a nonprofit focused on financial security.

From MarketWatch ● Oct. 1, 2026

In 1939, South Africa, a member of the British Commonwealth, had declared war on Nazi Germany.

From "Long Walk to Freedom" by Nelson Mandela

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