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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. )

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

“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.”

From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 21, 2025

"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.

From BBC ● Nov. 6, 2025

“Jefferson had a party,” Adams observed caustically, “Hamilton had a party, but the commonwealth had none.”

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

Virginia Commonwealth University Associate Prof. Damian Pitt and his associates found that emissions from data centers’ generators in Northern Virginia increased significantly between 2015 and 2023.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 7, 2026

Turrell spoke movingly of the close friends he lost during the campaign, some of whom he buried in the field, and who are now buried in Commonwealth war cemeteries on the continent.

From BBC ● Aug. 29, 2026

Prime Minister Andy Burnham met Swinney ahead of the Commonwealth Games opening ceremony in Glasgow last month.

From BBC ● Aug. 28, 2026

Will Sharman won silver medals in the 110m hurdles at the Commonwealth Games in 2010 and 2014, as well as at the 2014 European Championships, and has worked on the BBC gameshow Gladiators.

From BBC ● Aug. 28, 2026

Spring thaw was well behind us and the troupe was riding through the forests and fields of the western Commonwealth.

From "The Name of the Wind" by Patrick Rothfuss

Related Words

• federation
• society