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Sovereign - Dictionary Definition and Overview |
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Sovereign : adj
1: of political bodies; "an autonomous judiciary"; "a sovereign
state" [syn: autonomous, independent, self-governing]
2: greatest in status or authority or power; "a supreme
tribunal" [syn: supreme]
(noun)
1: a nation's ruler or head of state usually by hereditary
right [syn: crowned head, monarch]
Based on WordNet 2.0
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Sovereign : \Sov"er*eign\ (? or ?; 277), n.
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. (Zo["o]l.) Any butterfly of the tribe Nymphalidi, or
genus Basilarchia, as the ursula and the viceroy.
Syn: King; prince; monarch; potentate; emperor.
Based on Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary
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Sovereign : \Sov"er*eign\ (? or ?; 277), 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.]
1. Supreme or highest in power; superior to all others;
chief; as, our sovereign prince.
2. Independent of, and unlimited by, any other; possessing,
or entitled to, original authority or jurisdiction; as, a
sovereign state; a sovereign discretion.
3. 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 remedy. --Dryden.
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.
Based on Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary
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SOVEREIGN, Eng. law. The name of a gold coin of Great Britain of the value
of one pound sterling.
Based on Bouvier's Law Dictionary, Revised 6th Ed (1856) [Bouvier_Law_Dictionary]:
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SOVEREIGN. A chief ruler with supreme power; one possessing sovereignty.
(q.v.) It is also applied to a king or other magistrate with limited powers.
2. In the United States the sovereignty resides in the body of the
people. Vide Rutherf. Inst. 282.
Based on Bouvier's Law Dictionary, Revised 6th Ed (1856) [Bouvier_Law_Dictionary]:
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