sovereignty
/ˈsɒvrɪnti
/noun (plural sovereignties) [mass noun]
1Supreme power or authority: the sovereignty of Parliament...
- It was more than a legitimisation of sovereignty by Brahmanical ritual; it was an assertion of supreme sovereignty.
- Here was the judicial reconciliation of Parliamentary sovereignty with the supremacy of EC law.
- His life and his death taught all those that knew him of God's wisdom, grace, sovereignty and power.
Synonyms
jurisdiction, supremacy, dominion, power, ascendancy, suzerainty, tyranny, hegemony, domination, sway, predominance, authority, control, influence, rule;
Indian raj
archaic regiment
1.1The authority of a state to govern itself or another state: national sovereignty...
- In 1657 Frederick William, Elector of Brandenburg, gained full sovereignty over the duchy.
- The treaty grants Britain sovereignty over the sites in perpetuity.
- Neither Spain nor Guatemala ever exercised effective sovereignty over the area.
Synonyms
autonomy, independence, self-government, self-rule, home rule, self-legislation, self-determination, non-alignment, freedom
1.2 [count noun] A self-governing state.Is ‘confederation’ just another word for two independent sovereignties talking to each other to coordinate, where possible, policy objectives and implementation?...
- It was not the supersession of one or several sovereignties by a single sovereignty, but a division and sharing of sovereignty.
- Fifteen sovereignties cannot a foreign or military policy make, even though, were they to federate into one sovereignty, they could exert power equal to that of the United States.
Origin
Late Middle English: from Old French sovereinete, from soverain (see sovereign).