sovereignty

noun

sov·​er·​eign·​ty ˈsä-v(ə-)rən-tē 

-vərn-tē,

 also  ˈsə-

variants or less commonly sovranty

plural sovereignties also sovranties

1

a

: supreme power especially over a body politic

b

: freedom from external control : autonomy

c

: controlling influence

2

: one that is sovereign

especially : an autonomous state

3

obsolete : supreme excellence or an example of it

Synonyms

• autonomy
• freedom
• independence
• independency
• liberty
• self-determination
• self-governance
• self-government

Examples of sovereignty in a Sentence

Nor was the sovereignty of the Native Hawaiian race recognized at the time Hawaii became a state. —Ramesh Ponnuru, National Review, 18 July 2005

Cesaire's wrenching chant of self-affirmation announced a new era of intellectual and cultural sovereignty for black writers in French. —Lila Azam Zanganeh, New York Times Book Review, 12 June 2005

The position plunged him into a supremely complicated religious and political game. Throughout Europe the old order of divinely sanctioned kingdoms was battling models of popular sovereignty and citizenship inspired by the Enlightenment, the French Revolution and the adolescent U.S. —David Van Biema, Time, 4 Sept. 2000

upon leaving home she felt that she had achieved sovereignty for the first time in her life

as parts of the same sovereignty, the states should not enact laws intended to harm one another economically

Recent Examples on the Web

Macron, a strong advocate of Europe’s economic sovereignty, wants to raise French concerns about a Chinese antidumping investigation into cognac and other European brandy, and tensions over French cosmetics and other sectors. —Sylvie Corbet, Fortune Europe, 6 May 2024

The court determined that tribal nations still have sovereignty over historic reservations if they were never formally disestablished by Congress. —Kate Armanini, Chicago Tribune, 6 May 2024

Word History

Etymology

Middle English soverainte, from Anglo-French sovereinté, from soverein — see sovereign entry 2

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 3

Phrases Containing sovereignty

• popular sovereignty
• squatter sovereignty

Kids Definition

sovereignty

noun

sov·​er·​eign·​ty ˈsäv-(ə-)rən-tē 

ˈsäv-ərn-,

ˈsəv-

plural sovereignties

1

a

: supreme power especially over a politically organized unit : dominion

b

: freedom from outside control : autonomy

c

: the condition of being sovereign or a sovereign

2

: one (as a country) that is sovereign

Legal Definition

sovereignty

noun

sov·​er·​eign·​ty

ˈsä-vrən-tē, ˈsə-, -və-rən-

plural sovereignties

1

a

: supreme power especially over a body politic

b

: freedom from external control : autonomy

2

: one that is sovereign

especially : an autonomous state