sovereignty

Meanings

1. 1
   noun

   The power of a country to govern itself without outside control.

   The new nation finally gained full sovereignty after years of struggle.

2. 2
   noun

   Supreme power or authority, especially that of a ruler.

   The treaty challenged the monarch's sovereignty over the region.

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 a…

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