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sovereignty - 7 dictionary results

sov⋅er⋅eign⋅ty

[sov-rin-tee, suhv-]
–noun, plural -ties.
1. the quality or state of being sovereign.
2. the status, dominion, power, or authority of a sovereign; royalty.
3. supreme and independent power or authority in government as possessed or claimed by a state or community.
4. rightful status, independence, or prerogative.
5. a sovereign state, community, or political unit.

Origin:
1300–50; ME soverainte < AF sovereynete (OF soverainete), equiv. to soverain sovereign + -ete -ty 2
sov·er·eign·ty   (sŏv'ər-ĭn-tē, sŏv'rĭn-)   
n.   pl. sov·er·eign·ties
  1. Supremacy of authority or rule as exercised by a sovereign or sovereign state.
  2. Royal rank, authority, or power.
  3. Complete independence and self-government.
  4. A territory existing as an independent state.

Sovereignty

Sov"er*eign*ty\, n.; pl. Sovereignties. [OE. soverainetee, OF. sovrainet['e], F. souverainet['e].] The quality or state of being sovereign, or of being a sovereign; the exercise of, or right to exercise, supreme power; dominion; sway; supremacy; independence; also, that which is sovereign; a sovereign state; as, Italy was formerly divided into many sovereignties.

Woman desiren to have sovereignty As well over their husband as over their love. --Chaucer.

sovereignty [(sov-ruhn-tee, sov-uhr-uhn-tee)]

A nation or state's supreme power within its borders. A government might respond, for example, to criticism from foreign governments of its treatment of its own citizens by citing its rights of sovereignty.


sovereignty 
c.1340, "pre-eminence," from Anglo-Fr. sovereynete, from O.Fr. souverainete, from soverain (see sovereign). Meaning "authority, rule" is recorded from c.1374; sense of "existence as an independent state" is from 1715.

Main Entry: sov·er·eign·ty
Variant: also sov·ran·ty /'sä-vr&n-tE, 's&-, -v&-r&n-/
Function: noun
Inflected Form: plural -ties
1 a : supreme power esp. over a body politic b : freedom from external control : AUTONOMY
2 : one that is sovereign; especially : an autonomous state

Sovereignty

of God, his absolute right to do all things according to his own good pleasure (Dan. 4:25, 35; Rom. 9:15-23; 1 Tim. 6:15; Rev. 4:11).

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