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- DictionarySov·er·eign·ty/ˈsäv(ə)rən(t)ē/
noun
- 1. supreme power or authority: "how can we hope to wrest sovereignty away from the oligarchy and back to the people?"
1. a. : supreme power especially over a body politic. b. : freedom from external control : autonomy. c. : controlling influence. 2. : one that is sovereign. especially : an autonomous state. 3. obsolete : supreme excellence or an example of it. Synonyms. autonomy. freedom. independence.
the quality or state of being sovereign, or of having supreme power or authority. the status, dominion, power, or authority of a sovereign; royal rank or position; royalty. supreme and independent power or authority in government as possessed or claimed by a state or community. rightful status, independence, or prerogative.
What does the noun sovereignty mean? There are five meanings listed in OED's entry for the noun sovereignty . See ‘Meaning & use’ for definitions, usage, and quotation evidence.
Overview. sovereignty. Quick Reference. N. Supreme authority in a state. In any state sovereignty is vested in the institution, person, or body having the ultimate authority to impose law on everyone else in the state and the power to alter any pre-existing law.
Sovereignty is the quality of having supreme, independent authority over a geographic area, such as a territory. A sovereign government has the power to make and enforce laws, impose taxes, and make decisions on behalf of its citizens. The concept of sovereignty can also apply to international organizations and tribal nations.
A holder of sovereignty derives authority from some mutually acknowledged source of legitimacy -- natural law, a divine mandate, hereditary law, a constitution, even international law. In the contemporary era, some body of law is ubiquitously the source of sovereignty.
constitutions and international legal agreements define the scope of all rulers' and citizens' legitimate authority. At this point, the definition is still too broad. A police chief, priest and corporate executive all have legitimate authority; rarely are they called sovereign. Sovereignty has always involved another ingredient: supremacy.
