WordGarden.iosovereign
C1Pronunciation
UK
- /sˈɒvərˌɪn/
US
- /ˈsɑvrən/
Meanings
Adjective
self-governing and not subject to another state's authority
having ultimate power or authority
Noun
a monarch or other supreme ruler
Beyond the definition
Imagine a king or queen ruling a kingdom: that is one clear example of a sovereign. But the word is not just about royalty. It can describe a ruler with the highest authority, or a country that governs itself without outside control. That is why people speak of sovereign nations such as Canada, the United States, or Japan. It can also be used more generally to describe full power or independence. In history, "sovereign" was also the name of a famous English gold coin.
The word "sovereign" carries a strong sense of power and independence. At its core, it describes a person, state, or authority that holds the highest power and is not controlled by anything outside itself. Historically, it often referred to a monarch such as a king or queen. In that sense, a sovereign was the person at the top of the political order, ruling a land and its people.
Today, the word is very often used for nations. A sovereign state has the authority to govern itself: it makes its own laws, controls its borders, and handles its relations with other countries without being ruled by another power. This idea of sovereignty is a basic part of international politics and law.
The word also works as an adjective. It can describe something that has full authority, such as a sovereign power or a sovereign right. In finance, for example, a sovereign bond is a bond issued by a national government. In older or more literary English, "sovereign" can also mean supreme or excellent, especially when describing power, rank, or even the strength of a remedy.
Historically, the term also named a gold coin, the sovereign, first minted in England in 1489. That use reflects the same core idea: recognized authority tied to the ruler and the state.
So whether you are talking about a monarch, an independent nation, a government's debt, or the highest level of authority, "sovereign" points to supreme power, self-rule, and freedom from outside control.
Examples
- 1
Legal status
After years of conflict, the new country was finally recognized as a sovereign state.
- 2
Territorial control
The government said the islands were under its sovereign control.
- 3
Legal rights
Some critics argued that the treaty would limit the nation’s sovereign right to make its own laws.
- Patternsovereign right to + verb
an independent right that no outside power should control
- 4
Royal title
At the opening of Parliament, the sovereign arrived in a gold carriage.
See also
Similar
- independent
- autonomous
- self-governing
Shades of meaning
- self-determining
Contrast
Used with (collocations)
- sovereign state
- sovereign nation
- sovereign territory
Word family
Explore
- statehood
- self-determination
Forms and spellings
2 forms open this card.
Main spelling
- sovereignnounadjective
Forms
- sovereignspluralnounadjective