Definify.com
Webster 1913 Edition
Sovereign
Sov′er-eign
(? or ?; 277)
, Adj.
1.
Supreme or highest in power; superior to all others; chief;
as, our
. sovereign
prince2.
Independent of, and unlimited by, any other; possessing, or entitled to, original authority or jurisdiction;
as, a
. sovereign
state; a sovereign
discretion3.
Princely; royal.
“Most sovereign name.” Shak.
At Babylon was his
sovereign
see. Chaucer.
4.
Predominant; greatest; utmost; paramount.
We acknowledge him [God] our
sovereign
good. Hooker.
5.
Efficacious in the highest degree; effectual; controlling;
as, a
. sovereign
remedyDryden.
Such a
sovereign
influence has this passion upon the regulation of the lives and actions of men. South.
Sovereign state
, a state which administers its own government, and is not dependent upon, or subject to, another power.
Sov′er-eign
(? or ?; 277)
, Noun.
1.
The person, body, or state in which independent and supreme authority is vested; especially, in a monarchy, a king, queen, or emperor.
No question is to be made but that the bed of the Mississippi belongs to the
sovereign
, that is, to the nation. Jefferson.
2.
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.
3.
(Zool.)
Any butterfly of the tribe
Nymphalidi
, or genus Basilarchia
, as the ursula and the viceroy.
Syn. – King; prince; monarch; potentate; emperor.
Webster 1828 Edition
Sovereign
SOVEREIGN
,Adj.
1.
Supreme in power; possessing supreme dominion; as a sovereign ruler of the universe.2.
Supreme; superior to all others; chief. God is the sovereign good of all who love and obey him.3.
Supremely efficacious; superior to all others; predominant; effectual; as a sovereign remedy.4.
Supreme; pertaining to the first magistrate of a nation; as sovereign authority.SOVEREIGN
,Noun.
1.
A supreme lord or ruler; one who possesses the highest authority without control. Some earthly princes, kings and emperors are sovereigns in their dominions.2.
A supreme magistrate; a king.3.
A gold coin of England, value 20s or $4.44Definition 2025
sovereign
sovereign
English
Alternative forms
- sovran (archaic)
Adjective
sovereign (comparative more sovereign, superlative most sovereign)
- Exercising power of rule.
- sovereign nation
- Exceptional in quality.
- (now rare) Extremely potent or effective (of a medicine, remedy etc.).
- 1590, Edmund Spenser, The Faerie Queene, III.v:
- The soueraigne weede betwixt two marbles plaine / She pownded small, and did in peeces bruze, / And then atweene her lilly handes twaine, / Into his wound the iuyce thereof did scruze […]
- (Can we date this quote?) Dryden
- a sovereign remedy
- (Can we date this quote?) South
- Such a sovereign influence has this passion upon the regulation of the lives and actions of men.
- 1590, Edmund Spenser, The Faerie Queene, III.v:
- Having supreme, ultimate power.
- Princely; royal.
- (Can we date this quote?) Shakespeare
- most sovereign name
- (Can we date this quote?) Shakespeare
- Predominant; greatest; utmost; paramount.
- (Can we date this quote?) Hooker
- We acknowledge him [God] our sovereign good.
- (Can we date this quote?) Hooker
Derived terms
Synonyms
Translations
exercising power of rule
|
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exceptional in quality
Noun
sovereign (plural sovereigns)
- A monarch; the ruler of a country.
- Jefferson
- No question is to be made but that the bed of the Mississippi belongs to the sovereign, that is, to the nation.
- Jefferson
- One who is not a subject to a ruler or nation.
- A gold coin of the United Kingdom, with a nominal value of one pound sterling but in practice used as a bullion coin.
- A very large champagne bottle with the capacity of about 25 liters, equivalent to 33⅓ standard bottles.
- Any butterfly of the tribe Nymphalini, or genus Basilarchia, as the ursula and the viceroy.
- (Britain, slang) A large, garish ring; a sovereign ring.
- 2004, December 11, "Birkenhead, Merseyside" BBC Voices recording (0:06:52)
- No, someone who wears loads of sovereigns as well loads of gold and has uh a curly perm and peroxide blonde hair, orange, orange sunbed skin and a fringe like this blow-dried to death, that’s a ‘scally’.
- 2004, December 11, "Birkenhead, Merseyside" BBC Voices recording (0:06:52)
Hyponyms
Derived terms
Translations
monarch
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one who is not a subject to a ruler or nation
coin
See also
- half sovereign/half-sovereign