sovereign

¹sov·er·eign

noun \ˈsä-v(ə-)rən, -vərn also ˈsə-\

Definition of SOVEREIGN

1

a : one possessing or held to possess supreme political power or sovereignty b : one that exercises supreme authority within a limited sphere c : an acknowledged leader : arbiter

2

: any of various gold coins of the United Kingdom

Variants of SOVEREIGN

sov·er·eign also sov·ran \ˈsä-v(ə-)rən, -vərn also ˈsə-\

Examples of SOVEREIGN

1. <after the current sovereign dies, the monarchy may be abolished>
2. Ricky Martin, sovereign of Latin pop culture, is back. —Raquel Cepeda, Vibe, May 1999
3. During these two centuries the throne of Scotland was occupied by no more than seven sovereigns of only four different generations. —G.W.S. Barrow, The Anglo-Norman Era In Scottish History, 1980

Origin of SOVEREIGN

Middle English soverain, from Anglo-French soverein, from soverein, adjective (see ²sovereign)

First Known Use: 13th century

Related to SOVEREIGN

Synonyms: autocrat, potentate, ruler, monarch (also sovran)

Related Words: coruler; Caesar, czar (also tsar or tzar), emir (or amir also ameer), emperor, empress, kaiser, khan, khedive, king, lord, mikado, mogul, prince, queen, satrap, shah, sultan, suzerain; authoritarian, Big Brother, despot, dictator, führer (or fuehrer), monocrat, overlord, paramount, tyrant

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Other Government and Politics Terms

agent provocateur, agitprop, autarky, cabal, egalitarianism, federalism, hegemony, plenipotentiary, popular sovereignty, socialism