sovereignty
SOV-rin-tee
/ˈsɒv.rɪn.ti/
Supreme, absolute political authority and independent power of a state to govern itself without external interference.
Represents the ultimate authority in political science; no higher power legal authority exists above a truly sovereign state.
The story behind the word. Passed through Old French 'soverainete' from Vulgar Latin 'superanus' (chief or above). French philosopher Jean Bodin formulated the modern political concept in 1576 during religious wars, arguing that states required an absolute central authority to maintain order.
Word relationships
- supremacy: Supremacy denotes highest rank or power within a hierarchy; sovereignty is supreme political authority over a specific political territory.
- subjugation: State of being ruled by external foreign force.
- dependency: A territory subject to the sovereignty of an outside state.
Commonly confused with
- autonomy: Sovereignty is absolute, supreme authority; autonomy is self-rule granted or existing within a sovereign entity.
Word family
- sovereign (noun): A supreme ruler or fully independent self-governing state.
Collocations
- national sovereignty
- state sovereignty
- infringe on sovereignty
- popular sovereignty
Example sentences
- "Sovereignty is the absolute and perpetual power of a commonwealth, which the Latins call majestas." Political Philosophy (Jean Bodin, Six Books of the Commonwealth (1576))
- "The treaty established mutual respect for territorial integrity and national sovereignty as bedrock rules of modern international relations." International Law
Memory hook
SOVEREIGN comes from SUPER (above). Sovereignty means no one stands above you. Supreme authority above all.
When not to use
Do not use to describe temporary local privileges or minor autonomy; sovereignty denotes supreme legal command.
Fun facts
- The Peace of Westphalia in 1648 established the principle of 'Westphalian Sovereignty', which asserts that external powers should not interfere in another nation's domestic affairs.
Related words
Explore more words
sovereign, self-governing, autonomous, autonomy, independent, supremacy
Also appears in
- Leadership → Power & Dominance
- Law → Legal Systems & Constitutions
- Law → International Law & Treaties
- Philosophy → Justice & Political Philosophy
- Political Science & Governance → Geopolitics & International Relations
- Demographics & Urban Studies → Indigenous Populations
- Military Science & Warfare → Peacekeeping & UN Interventions
- Military Science & Warfare → Naval Warfare & Maritime Security
- Political Science & Governance → Secession & Separatism
- Political Science & Governance → Federalism vs Unitary States
- Sociology & Social Anthropology → Tribal Communities & Integration
- Occasions, Holidays & Parties → National Independence Days
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