Dictionary.com

sovereignty

[ sov-rin-tee, suhv- ]
/ ˈsɒv rÉȘn ti, ˈsʌv- /
Save This Word!

noun, plural sov·er·eign·ties.
the quality or state of being sovereign, or of having supreme power or authority.
the status, dominion, power, or authority of a sovereign; royal rank or position; royalty.
supreme and independent power or authority in government as possessed or claimed by a state or community.
rightful status, independence, or prerogative.
a sovereign or independent state, community, or political unit.
QUIZ
THINGAMABOB OR THINGUMMY: CAN YOU DISTINGUISH BETWEEN THE US AND UK TERMS IN THIS QUIZ?
Do you know the difference between everyday US and UK terminology? Test yourself with this quiz on words that differ across the Atlantic.
Question 1 of 7
In the UK, COTTON CANDY is more commonly known as


Origin of sovereignty

First recorded in 1300–50; Middle English soverainte, from Anglo-French sovereynete, from Old French soverainete, equivalent to soverain sovereign + -ete -ty2

OTHER WORDS FROM sovereignty

self-sov·er·eign·ty, nounsu·per·sov·er·eign·ty, noun
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use sovereignty in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for sovereignty

sovereignty
/ (ˈsɒvrəntÉȘ) /

noun plural -ties
supreme and unrestricted power, as of a state
the position, dominion, or authority of a sovereign
an independent state
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Cultural definitions for sovereignty

sovereignty
[ (sov-ruhn-tee, sov-uhr-uhn-tee) ]

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.

The New Dictionary of Cultural Literacy, Third Edition Copyright © 2005 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
FEEDBACK