Word Study
sovereign
CIDE DICTIONARY
sovereign, a. [OE. soverain, sovereyn, OF. soverain, suvrain, F. souverain, LL. superanus, fr. L. superus that is above, upper, higher, fr. super above. See Over, Super, and cf. Soprano. The modern spelling is due to a supposed connection with reign.].
- Supreme or highest in power; superior to all others; chief; as, our sovereign prince. [1913 Webster]
- Independent of, and unlimited by, any other; possessing, or entitled to, original authority or jurisdiction; as, a sovereign state; a sovereign discretion. [1913 Webster]
- Princely; royal. Shak. [1913 Webster]"At Babylon was his sovereign see." [1913 Webster]
- Predominant; greatest; utmost; paramount. [1913 Webster]"We acknowledge him [God] our sovereign good." [1913 Webster]
- Efficacious in the highest degree; effectual; controlling; as, a sovereign remedy. Dryden. [1913 Webster]"Such a sovereign influence has this passion upon the regulation of the lives and actions of men." [1913 Webster]
sovereign, n.
- The person, body, or state in which independent and supreme authority is vested; especially, in a monarchy, a king, queen, or emperor. [1913 Webster]"No question is to be made but that the bed of the Mississippi belongs to the sovereign, that is, to the nation." [1913 Webster]
- A gold coin of Great Britain, on which an effigy of the head of the reigning king or queen is stamped, valued at one pound sterling, or about $4.86. [1913 Webster]
- Any butterfly of the tribe
Nymphalidi , or genusBasilarchia , as the ursula and the viceroy. [1913 Webster]
Syn. -- King; prince; monarch; potentate; emperor.
OXFORD DICTIONARY
sovereign, n. & adj.
--n.
1 a supreme ruler, esp. a monarch.
2 Brit. hist. a gold coin nominally worth {pound}1.
--adj.
1 a supreme (sovereign power). b unmitigated (sovereign contempt).
2 excellent; effective (a sovereign remedy).
3 possessing sovereign power (a sovereign State).
4 royal (our sovereign lord).
--n.
1 a supreme ruler, esp. a monarch.
2 Brit. hist. a gold coin nominally worth {pound}1.
--adj.
1 a supreme (sovereign power). b unmitigated (sovereign contempt).
2 excellent; effective (a sovereign remedy).
3 possessing sovereign power (a sovereign State).
4 royal (our sovereign lord).
Idiom
the sovereign good the greatest good, esp. for a State, its people, etc. sovereign pontiff see PONTIFF.
Derivative
sovereignly adv. sovereignty n. (pl. -ies).
Etymology
ME f. OF so(u)verain f. L: -g- by assoc. with reign
THESAURUS
sovereign
absolute, all-knowing, all-powerful, all-seeing, all-wise, almighty, anointed king, arch, ascendant, at the head, autarchic, autarkic, autonomous, banner, blue-ribbon, boss, boundless, capital, cardinal, central, champion, changeless, chief, chieftain, classical, coin, commanding, controlling, creating, creative, crown, crowned head, crowning, directing, dominant, double eagle, doubloon, ducat, dynast, dynastic, eagle, emperor, eternal, eternally the same, everlasting, fine, first, first-class, five-dollar gold piece, focal, foremost, free-spirited, freewheeling, general, glorious, gold piece, good, governing, grand duke, great, guiding, guinea, half crown, half eagle, hallowed, hard money, head, headmost, hegemonic, hegemonistic, high chief, highest, holy, immortal, immutable, imperator, imperatorial, imperatorious, imperial, imperious, in ascendancy, in charge, in chief, in the ascendant, independent, individualistic, infinite, inner-directed, just, king, king-emperor, kinglet, kinglike, kingly, leading, limitless, lord paramount, loving, luminous, magisterial, main, majestic, majesty, making, master, merciful, moidore, monarch, monarchal, monarchial, monarchic, monarchical, napoleon, neutral, nonaligned, nonpartisan, number one, numinous, omnipotent, omnipresent, omniscient, one, overbearing, overlord, overruling, paramount, permanent, perpetual, petty king, piece, piece of money, piece of silver, plenipotentiary, potentate, pound sovereign, predominant, predominate, preeminent, prepollent, preponderant, preponderate, prepotent, prevailing, prevalent, primal, primary, prime, prince, prince consort, princelike, princely, principal, purple, queenlike, queenly, radiant, ranking, regal, regnant, regulating, regulative, regulatory, reigning, roll of coins, rouleau, royal, royal personage, royalty, ruler, ruling, sacred, self-contained, self-dependent, self-determined, self-directing, self-governed, self-governing, self-reliant, self-subsistent, self-sufficient, self-supporting, separate, shaping, specie, star, stellar, supereminent, supreme, suzerain, ten-dollar gold piece, tetrarch, third-force, third-world, timeless, topflight, twenty-dollar gold piece, ubiquitous, unbounded, unchanging, undefined, unlimitedROGET THESAURUS
sovereign
Superiority
N superiority, majority, greatness, advantage, pull, preponderance, preponderation, vantage ground, prevalence, partiality, personal superiority, nobility, Triton among the minnows, primus inter pares, nulli secundus, captain, crackajack, supremacy, preeminence, lead, maximum, record, trikumia, climax, culmination, transcendence, ne plus ultra, lion's share, Benjamin's mess, excess, surplus, (redundancy), superior, greater, major, higher, exceeding, great, distinguished, ultra, vaulting, more than a match for, supreme, greatest, utmost, paramount, preeminent, foremost, crowning, first-rate, unrivaled peerless, matchless, none such, second to none, sans pareil, unparagoned, unparalleled, unequalled, unapproached, unsurpassed, superlative, inimitable facile princeps, incomparable, sovereign, without parallel, nulli secundus, ne plus ultra, beyond compare, beyond comparison, culminating, transcendent, transcendental, plus royaliste que le Roi, more catholic than the Pope increased, enlarged, beyond, more, over, over the mark, above the mark, above par, upwards of, in advance of, over and above, at the top of the scale, at its height, eminently, egregiously, preeminently, surpassing, prominently, superlatively, supremely, above all, of all things, the most, to crown all, kat exochin, par excellence, principally, especially, particularly, peculiarly, a fortiori, even, yea, still more, I shall not look upon his like again, deos fortioribus addesse.Government
N government, legal authority, soveriegn, sovereign authority, authority, master, direction, national government, nation, state, country, nation- state, dominion, republic, empire, union, democratic republic, kingdom, principality, state government, state, shire, province, county, canton, territory, duchy, archduchy, archdukedom, woiwodshaft, commonwealth, region, property, county, parish city, domain, tract, arrondissement, mofussil, commune, wappentake, hundred, riding, lathe, garth, soke, tithing, ward, precinct, bailiwick, command, empire, sway, rule, dominion, domination, sovereignty, supremacy, suzerainty, lordship, headship, chiefdom, seigniory, seigniority, rule, sway, command, control, administer, govern, lead, preside over, reign, possess the throne, be seated on the throne, occupy the throne, sway the scepter, wield the scepter, wear the crown, state, realm, body politic, posse comitatus, judicature, cabinet, seat of government, seat of authority, headquarters, accession, installation, politics, reign, regime, dynasty, directorship, dictatorship, protectorate, protectorship, caliphate, pashalic, electorate, presidency, presidentship, administration, proconsul, consulship, prefecture, seneschalship, magistrature, magistracy, monarchy, kinghood, kingship, royalty, regality, aristarchy, aristocracy, oligarchy, democracy, theocracy, demagogy, commonwealth, dominion, heteronomy, republic, republicanism, socialism, collectivism, mob law, mobocracy, ochlocracy, vox populi, imperium in imperio, bureaucracy, beadledom, bumbledom, stratocracy, military power, military government, junta, feodality, feudal system, feudalism, thearchy, theocracy, dinarchy, duarchy, triarchy, heterarchy, duumvirate, triumvirate, autocracy, autonomy, limited monarchy, constitutional government, constitutional monarchy, home rule, representative government, monocracy, pantisocracy, gynarchy, gynocracy, gynaeocracy, petticoat government, legislature, judiciary, administration, office of the president, office of the prime minister, cabinet, senate, house of representatives, parliament, council, courts, supreme court, state, interior, labor, health and human services, defense, education, agriculture, justice, commerce, treasury, Federal Bureau of Investigation, FBI, Central Intelligence Agency, CIA, National Institutes of Health, NIH, Postal Service, Post Office, Federal Aviation Administration, FAA, president, vice president, cabinet member, prime minister, minister, senator, representatative, president pro tem, speaker of the house, department head, section head, section chief, federal judge, justice, justice of the supreme court, chief justice, treasurer, secretary of the treasury, director of the FBI, governor, state cabinet member, state senator, assemblyman, assemblywoman, regal, sovereign, governing, royal, royalist, monarchical, kingly, imperial, imperiatorial, princely, feudal, aristocratic, autocratic, oligarchic, republican, dynastic, ruling, regnant, gubernatorial, imperious, authoritative, executive, administrative, clothed with authority, official, departmental, ex officio, imperative, peremptory, overruling, absolute, hegemonic, hegemonical, authorized, government, public, national, federal, his majesty's, her majesty's, state, county, city, N, a dog's obeyed in office, cada uno tiene su alguazil, le Roi le veut, regibus esse manus en nescio longas, regnant populi, the demigod Authority, the right divine of kings to govern wrong, uneasy lies the head that wears a crown.Master
N master, padrone, lord, lord paramount, commander, commandant, captain, chief, chieftain, sirdar, sachem, sheik, head, senior, governor, ruler, dictator, leader, boss, cockarouse, sagamore, werowance, lord of the ascendant, cock of the walk, cock of the roost, gray mare, mistress, potentate, liege, liege lord, suzerain, sovereign, monarch, autocrat, despot, tyrant, oligarch, crowned head, emperor, king, anointed king, majesty, imperator, protector, president, stadholder, judge, ceasar, kaiser, czar, tsar, sultan, soldan, grand Turk, caliph, imaum, shah, padishah, sophi, mogul, great mogul, khan, lama, tycoon, mikado, tenno, inca, cazique, voivode, landamman, seyyid, Abuna, cacique, czarowitz, grand seignior, prince, duke, archduke, doge, elector, seignior, marland, margrave, rajah, emir, wali, sheik nizam, nawab, empress, queen, sultana, czarina, princess, infanta, duchess, margravine, czarevna, czarita, maharani, rani, rectrix, regent, viceroy, exarch, palatine, khedive, hospodar, beglerbeg, three-tailed bashaw, pasha, bashaw, bey, beg, dey, scherif, tetrarch, satrap, mandarin, subahdar, nabob, maharajah, burgrave, laird, collector, commissioner, deputy commissioner, woon, the authorities, the powers that be, the government, staff, etat major, aga, official, man in office, person in authority, sircar, sirkar, Sublime Porte, marshal, field marshal, marechal, general, generalissimo, commander in chief, seraskier, hetman, lieutenant general, major general, colonel, lieutenant colonel, major, captain, centurion, skipper, lieutenant, first lieutenant, second lieutenant, sublieutenant, officer, staff officer, aide-de-camp, brigadier, brigade major, adjutant, jemidar, ensign, cornet, cadet, subaltern, noncommissioned officer, warrant officer, sergeant, sergeant major, color sergeant, corporal, corporal major, lance corporal, acting corporal, drum major, captain general, dizdar, knight marshal, naik, pendragon, mayor, mayoralty, prefect, chancellor, archon, provost, magistrate, syndic, alcalde, alcaid, burgomaster, corregidor, seneschal, alderman, councilman, committeeman, councilwoman, warden, constable, portreeve, lord mayor, officer, dewan, fonctionnaire, admiral, admiralty, rear admiral, vice admiral, port admiral, commodore, captain, commander, lieutenant, ensign, skipper, mate, master, officer of the day, OD, navarch, da locum melioribus, der Furst ist der erste Diener seines Staats, the prince is the first servant of his state, lord of thy presence and no land beside.Strength
N strength, power, energy, vigor, force, main force, physical force, brute force, spring, elasticity, tone, tension, tonicity, stoutness, lustihood, stamina, nerve, muscle, sinew, thews and sinews, physique, pith, pithiness, virtility, vitality, athletics, athleticism, gymnastics, feats of strength, adamant, steel, iron, oak, heart of oak, iron grip, grit, bone, athlete, gymnast, acrobat, superman, Atlas, Hercules, Antaeus, Samson, Cyclops, Goliath, tower of strength, giant refreshed, strengthening, invigoration, refreshment, refocillation, dynamics, statics, strong, mighty, vigorous, forcible, hard, adamantine, stout, robust, sturdy, hardy, powerful, potent, puissant, valid, resistless, irresistible, invincible, proof against, impregnable, unconquerable, indomitable, dominating, inextinguishable, unquenchable, incontestable, more than a match for, overpowering, overwhelming, all powerful, all sufficient, sovereign, able-bodied, athletic, Herculean, Cyclopean, Atlantean, muscular, brawny, wiry, well-knit, broad-shouldered, sinewy, strapping, stalwart, gigantic, manly, man-like, manful, masculine, male, virile, unweakened, unallayed, unwithered, unshaken, unworn, unexhausted, in full force, in full swing, in the plenitude of power, stubborn, thick-ribbed, made of iron, deep-rooted, strong as a lion, strong as a horse, strong as an ox, strong as brandy, sound as a roach, in fine feather, in high feather, built like a brick shithouse, like a giant refreshed, strongly, by force, by main force, our withers are unwrung, Blut und Eisen, coelitus mihi vires, du fort au diable, en habiles gens, ex vi termini, flecti non frangi, he that wrestles with us strengthens our nerves an, inflexible in faith invincible in arms.For further exploring for "sovereign" in Webster Dictionary Online