Hypertext Webster Gateway: "Sovereign"

From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) (web1913)

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.

From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) (web1913)

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.

From WordNet (r) 1.7 (wn)

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}]
n : a nation's ruler or head of state usually by hereditary
right [syn: {crowned head}, {monarch}]


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