sovereign

sovereign [sov-rin, sov-er-in, suhv-] SynonymsExamplesWord Origin noun

1. a monarch; a king, queen, or other supreme ruler.
2. a person who has supreme power or authority.
3. a group or body of persons or a state having sovereign authority.
4. a gold coin of the United Kingdom, equal to one pound sterling: went out of circulation after 1914.

adjective

5. belonging to or characteristic of a sovereign or sovereign authority; royal.
6. having supreme rank, power, or authority.
7. supreme; preeminent; indisputable: a sovereign right.
8. greatest in degree; utmost or extreme.
9. being above all others in character, importance, excellence, etc.
10. efficacious; potent: a sovereign remedy.

Origin of sovereign 1250–1300; Middle English soverain (alteration by influence of reign) Old French soverain Vulgar Latin *superānus, equivalent to Latin super- super- + -ānus -an Related formssov·er·eign·ly, adverbnon·sov·er·eign, noun, adjectivenon·sov·er·eign·ly, adverbqua·si-sov·er·eign, adjectivesub·sov·er·eign, noun, adjectivesu·per·sov·er·eign, adjective, nounun·der·sov·er·eign, nounun·sov·er·eign, adjectiveSynonyms for sovereign 1. emperor, empress, potentate. 3. government. 5. regal, majestic, imperial, princely, monarchical, kingly, queenly. 7. chief, paramount, principal, predominant. 10. effective, effectual. Examples from the Web for quasi-sovereign Historical Examples of quasi-sovereign

She had been married to the King of Cyprus, and after his death had relinquished her quasi-sovereign rights in favour of Venice.

Giorgione

Herbert Cook

British Dictionary definitions for quasi-sovereign sovereign noun

1. a person exercising supreme authority, esp a monarch
2. a former British gold coin worth one pound sterling

adjective

3. supreme in rank or authoritya sovereign lord
4. excellent or outstandinga sovereign remedy
5. of, relating to, or characteristic of a sovereign
6. independent of outside authoritya sovereign state

Derived Formssovereignly, adverbWord Origin for sovereign C13: from Old French soverain, from Vulgar Latin superānus (unattested), from Latin super above; also influenced by reign Word Origin and History for quasi-sovereign sovereign n.

late 13c., “superior, ruler, master,” from Old French soverain “sovereign, lord, ruler,” noun use of adjective meaning “highest, supreme, chief” (see sovereign (adj.)). Meaning “gold coin worth 22s 6d” first recorded late 15c.; value changed 1817 to 1 pound.

sovereign adj.

early 14c., “great, superior, supreme,” from Old French soverain “highest, supreme, chief,” from Vulgar Latin *superanus “chief, principal” (source also of Spanish soberano, Italian soprano), from Latin super “over” (see super-). Spelling influenced by folk-etymology association with reign. Milton spelled it sovran, as though from Italian sovrano. Of remedies or medicines, “potent in a high degree,” from late 14c.