sovereignty English · revision 15406

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=borrowing|attested=c. 1340|origins=la super}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: /ˈsɒvɹənti/, /-ɹɪn-/ ''(UK)''; /ˈsɑv(ə)ɹənti/ ''(US)''^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[inh|enm|soverainte]], [[bor|xno|sovereynete]] (Old French [[m|fro|souverainete]]),^(Etymonline)^(MWU 2024)^(NODE 1998) from [[m|fro|soverain|t=sovereign]] (see [[sovereign]]) and [[m|fro|-té]],^(Etymonline)^(MWU 2024) ultimately from [[la|super|t=above]].^(MWU 2024)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ Supremacy or pre-eminence in excellence: about 1340 in the OED;^(OED 1989) the late 14th century in Etymonline, for pre-eminence and for supreme authority.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ Supreme power or authority is from about 1374,^(OED 1989) and the rank and power of a monarch from 1387.^(OED 1989) A territory under a sovereign, an independent state, is from 1715,^(Etymonline)^(OED 1989) and the supreme controlling power in a community without a monarch by 1860.^(Etymonline)^(OED 1989) The variant ''sovereignness'' (1580s) seems to have fallen out of use.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * c. 1340 – pre-eminence.^(OED 1989)

+ * c. 1374 – supreme authority.^(OED 1989)

+ * 1387 – royal authority.^(OED 1989)

+ * 1715 – an independent state.^(Etymonline)^(OED 1989)

+ * 1860 – supreme power without a monarch.^(OED 1989)

+

+ ==Modern meaning==

+ ===Noun===

+ # Supreme power or authority, especially of a state over its own affairs.^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+ # The authority or rank of a [[monarch]].^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+ # Complete independence and self-government.^(AHD)

+ # An independent state.^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[nonsovereign]]

+ * [[sovereign]]

+ * [[unsovereign]]

+ * [[suzerainty]]

+ * [[supreme]]

+ * [[super]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}