commonwealth

B2 Topic:Abstract Ideas

US /ˈkɑmənˌwɛlθ/ UK /ˈkɒmənˌwɛlθ/ See IPA manual

Freq #12709

Meanings

1

noun
A group of countries or states that share a common government or interests.

Mozambique joined the Commonwealth in 1995.
2

noun
A country or state, seen as a community of its people.

Every citizen has a duty to serve the commonwealth.
3

noun
A country governed by the people or their elected representatives; a republic.

After the king was removed, the country became a commonwealth.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

2 noun · a country or state, seen as... state

3 noun · a country governed by the... democracy

Word family

Forms commonwealths

Derived forms commonwealthismcommonwealthmancommonwealthsman

Related forms commonweal

Appears in

Phrases (1)

See all

commonwealth country
a country belonging to the Commonwealth association of nations

Noun + noun

Etymology

From common (“public”) + wealth (“well-being”). From c. 1450 as common wele (commonweal). In the form common-wealth (common welthe) from c. 1520, used by Tyndale in the sense "secular society" in particular, for which other authors preferred publike weal. Also from the 1520s treated as a synonym or loan-translation of res publica (republic) (Rollison 2017:67f).

Topics

Abstract Ideas

External links

# commonwealth

**Type:** Word
**Level:** B2
**Part of speech:** noun
**IPA (US):** /ˈkɑmənˌwɛlθ/
**IPA (UK):** /ˈkɒmənˌwɛlθ/
**Frequency rank:** 12709

## Meanings
1. A group of countries or states that share a common government or interests.
2. A country or state, seen as a community of its people.
3. A country governed by the people or their elected representatives; a republic.

## Examples
- Mozambique joined the Commonwealth in 1995.
- Every citizen has a duty to serve the commonwealth.
- After the king was removed, the country became a commonwealth.

## Derived Forms
- commonwealthism
- commonwealthman
- commonwealthsman

## Related Forms
- commonweal

## Etymology
From common (“public”) + wealth (“well-being”). From c. 1450 as common wele (commonweal). In the form common-wealth (common welthe) from c. 1520, used by Tyndale in the sense "secular society" in particular, for which other authors preferred publike weal. Also from the 1520s treated as a synonym or loan-translation of res publica (republic) (Rollison 2017:67f).

## AI Etymology
commonwealth is a noun and name. It is from common (“public”) + wealth (“well-being”). From c. 1450 as common wele (commonweal). In the form common-wealth (common welthe) from c. 1520, used by Tyndale in the sense "secular society" in particular, for which other authors preferred publike weal. Also from the 1520s treated as a synonym or loan-translation of res publica (republic) (Rollison 2017:67f). Current senses include a group of countries or states that share a common government or interests, a country or state, seen as a community of its people, and a country governed by the people or their elected representatives; a republic. Derived forms include commonwealthism, commonwealthman, and commonwealthsman. Related words include commonweal.

## Topics
- Abstract Ideas

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