sovereign
[sov-rin, sov-er-in, suhv-]
- a monarch; a king, queen, or other supreme ruler.
- a person who has supreme power or authority.
- a group or body of persons or a state having sovereign authority.
- a gold coin of the United Kingdom, equal to one pound sterling: went out of circulation after 1914.
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- belonging to or characteristic of a sovereign or sovereign authority; royal.
- having supreme rank, power, or authority.
- supreme; preeminent; indisputable: a sovereign right.
- greatest in degree; utmost or extreme.
- being above all others in character, importance, excellence, etc.
- efficacious; potent: a sovereign remedy.
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Origin of sovereign
Synonyms
See more synonyms for sovereign on Thesaurus.com1. emperor, empress, potentate. 3. government. 5. regal, majestic, imperial, princely, monarchical, kingly, queenly. 7. chief, paramount, principal, predominant. 10. effective, effectual.
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018
Examples from the Web for sovereign
Contemporary Examples
So where does this leave the millions of Palestinians—like my relatives—who dream of self-determination and a sovereign state?
Paudert is sure to acknowledge that sovereign citizens have the same rights as all Americans and that they are not all dangerous.
But the group has been paying close attention to the sovereign citizens for a while.
Often, the most common opportunity for police officers to encounter a sovereign citizen is during a traffic stop.
The Reservation is sovereign Indian land, and the grizzly is a sacred animal to these tribes.
Historical Examples
On the invasion of William, as we have seen, it was in the possession of Edwin, sovereign of Deira.
The Grand Old ManRichard B. Cook
"Be sovereign of Greece, and then enjoy ourselves," said the king.
What is left for the sovereign power to decide on, if this right be denied him?
A Theological-Political Treatise [Part IV]Benedict of Spinoza
Rumi-naui himself enters and receives the thanks of his sovereign.
Apu OllantayAnonymous
It was quite like being received by a sovereign, Decatur imagined.
Quaint CourtshipsVarious
sovereign
- a person exercising supreme authority, esp a monarch
- a former British gold coin worth one pound sterling
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- supreme in rank or authoritya sovereign lord
- excellent or outstandinga sovereign remedy
- of, relating to, or characteristic of a sovereign
- independent of outside authoritya sovereign state
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Word Origin
C13: from Old French soverain, from Vulgar Latin superānus (unattested), from Latin super above; also influenced by reign
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
© William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
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Word Origin and History for sovereign
n.
late 13c., "superior, ruler, master," from Old French soverain "sovereign, lord, ruler," noun use of adjective meaning "highest, supreme, chief" (see sovereign (adj.)). Meaning "gold coin worth 22s 6d" first recorded late 15c.; value changed 1817 to 1 pound.
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adj.
early 14c., "great, superior, supreme," from Old French soverain "highest, supreme, chief," from Vulgar Latin *superanus "chief, principal" (source also of Spanish soberano, Italian soprano), from Latin super "over" (see super-). Spelling influenced by folk-etymology association with reign. Milton spelled it sovran, as though from Italian sovrano. Of remedies or medicines, "potent in a high degree," from late 14c.
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Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper