Word
sovereignty
Phoneticssovereign·ty
US/ˈsɑvɹənti/
UK/sˈɒvəɹˌɪnti/
Definitions
01political independence
C1 · Advanced Uncountable noun Law Academic · Formal
n. the right of a country to rule itself and make its own decisions.
n. the supreme and independent power or authority in government as possessed or claimed by a state or community.
日本語:主権※
“The small nation fought hard to maintain its sovereignty against its larger neighbors.”
“The treaty was criticized by opposition leaders who argued that it would result in a significant loss of national sovereignty to international bodies.”
Synonyms
Antonyms
02supreme power
C1 · Advanced Uncountable noun Formal
n. the highest power or authority in a state, often held by a king, queen, or government.
n. the quality of having supreme, independent authority over a geographic area, such as a territory.
日本語:主権※
“In a democracy, the people hold the ultimate sovereignty.”
“The monarch's claim to absolute sovereignty was challenged by the rising power of the merchant class and the parliament.”
Antonyms
03a self-governing state
C2 · Proficiency Countable noun Formal · Archaic
n. a country or territory that is independent and rules itself.
n. a territory or community under the rule of a sovereign; an independent or self-governing nation.
“The region was recognized as a separate sovereignty after the war ended.”
“Historians debated whether the duchy functioned as a true sovereignty or merely a semi-autonomous province of the empire.”
Antonyms
Collocations
Common phrases and expressions where native English speakers use the word “sovereignty” in context.
Verb
01. assert sovereignty
“The island nation took steps to assert sovereignty over its surrounding territorial waters.”
verb + noun
02. infringe on sovereignty
“The deployment of foreign troops was seen as a move to infringe on sovereignty.”
verb + prep + noun
03. relinquish sovereignty
“The colonial power was eventually forced to relinquish sovereignty to the local government.”
verb + noun
Adjective
04. absolute sovereignty
“The monarch claimed absolute sovereignty over all domestic and foreign affairs.”
adj + noun
05. national sovereignty
“Many citizens fear that the new trade agreement will undermine national sovereignty.”
adj + noun
Noun
06. erosion of sovereignty
“Critics argue that global financial institutions lead to a gradual erosion of sovereignty.”
noun + of + noun
07. violation of sovereignty
“The unauthorized flight was condemned as a flagrant violation of sovereignty.”
noun + of + noun
Preposition
08. under the sovereignty
“The territory remained under the sovereignty of the crown for over two centuries.”
prep + noun
Real-World Examples
“This would likely strengthen Hezbollah’s hand, which would join a broader coalition of political forces rejecting what would be perceived as a violation of Lebanese sovereignty.” “He warned that China, the US and France would not get access to Brazil’s mineral wealth without respecting the country’s sovereignty.” Etymology
PIE word *upér From Late Middle English sovereynte, souvereynte [and other forms], from Anglo-Norman sovereyneté, soverentee, and Old French soveraineté, souveraineté (modern French souveraineté), from soverain + -té (suffix forming nouns, often denoting a property or quality). Soverain is derived from Vulgar Latin superānus (“chief; sovereign”), from Latin super (“above; on top of”) (ultimately from Proto-Indo-European upér (“above, over”)) + -ānus (“suffix meaning ‘of or pertaining to’, usually denoting a relationship of origin, position, or possession”)). The English word is analysable as sovereign + -ty (suffix forming abstract nouns from adjectives).
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Domain
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.C1 AdvancedIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.7.0–8.0TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 5.0–5.595–113TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.945–990
- Frequency
- Frequent
- Level
- C1 · AdvancedOxford
- Updated
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QR code
englishreference.com/q/sovereignty
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「日本語」 data: JMdict (EDRDG), CC BY-SA 4.0