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

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

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

The two exclaves have long been a bone of diplomatic contention between Spain and Morocco, which does not recognise Spanish sovereignty over them.

From BBC ● Aug. 6, 2026

The technology company now expects at least $8.15 billion in full-year revenue; ‘demand for AI sovereignty has now been unleashed.”

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 3, 2026

At 80, President Lula on Sunday launches his bid for re-election, casting himself as a defender of Brazil's "sovereignty" as pressure from Donald Trump's administration casts a shadow over the campaign.

From Barron's ● Aug. 2, 2026

Is this evidence of a collapse of Spanish sovereignty?

From Slate ● Jul. 31, 2026

There’s a sense of sovereignty that comes from life on a mountain, a perception of privacy and isolation, even of dominion.

From "Educated" by Tara Westover

"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

In “The Economic Consequences of the Peace,” John Maynard Keynes asserted the primacy of economics, observing that “the perils of the future lie not in frontiers and sovereignties but in food, coal and transport.”

From Washington Post ● Nov. 8, 2015

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

The struggles between Cologne and her archbishops were hot and incessant, much as they were in other ecclesiastical sovereignties.

From Lippincott's Magazine, Vol. 20, August 1877 by Various

Related Words

• dominance
• jurisdiction
• supremacy