adjective
sovereign
SOV-rihn
adjective
1
Having supreme power or independent authority.
"The treaty recognized the nation as a fully sovereign state."
noun
1
A king, queen, or other supreme ruler.
"The sovereign addressed the nation on Christmas Day."
How to Use Sovereign
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishSupreme in power or authority — either a ruler, or a nation that governs itself independently.
Easily confused with
suzerain
Common pairings
sovereign state
sovereign power
sovereign nation
Word Forms
more sovereign comparative, sovereigned past tense, Sovereigns plural, sovereigns singular, most sovereign superlative
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The treaty recognized the nation as a fully _____ state.
Etymology
From Old French soverain, from Vulgar Latin *superanus ("above others"), from Latin super ("above"). The modern spelling was reshaped by folk association with "reign," even though the words come from different roots.