sovereign
/ˈsɒvrɪn/ (bre, ipa) · /ˈsɑːvrɪn/ (ame, ipa) · /ˈsä-v(ə-)rən -vərn also ˈsə-/ (ame, mw) · /ˈsɒv.ər.ɪn/ (bre, ipa) · /ˈsɑːv.rən/ (ame, ipa)
sovereign — noun
- sovereignsingular
- sovereignsplural
1. a king, queen, emperor, or other hereditary ruler who holds the highest politica
a king, queen, emperor, or other hereditary ruler who holds the highest political authority in a country.
Queen Elizabeth II was the longest-ruling sovereign in modern British history.
Bilal's grandfather told stories about the old sovereign who ruled before the revolution.
sovereign as hereditary ruler before a political change
The sovereign's golden crown and jewel-covered sword were kept inside a locked glass case.
When the old sovereign died, the crown passed to his eldest daughter.
A sovereign from centuries ago could order anyone in the kingdom to be arrested.
- monarch
the most direct synonym; both refer to a hereditary ruler, but 'monarch' is more common in everyday use
- ruler
much broader; can refer to any leader (elected or not) and lacks the specific hereditary or constitutional meaning
- king / queen
more specific; refers to a male or female sovereign, while 'sovereign' covers both and also emperors
- emperor
implies rule over an empire of multiple territories, a rank above a king in historical hierarchies
- subject
a person under the authority of a sovereign, who must obey the sovereign's laws
用法筆記
Frequently appears in formal or historical writing. In modern constitutional monarchies such as the United Kingdom, the sovereign is a ceremonial figurehead rather than an absolute ruler.
常見錯誤
2. a coin made of gold, worth one British pound, that people used regularly from th
a coin made of gold, worth one British pound, that people used regularly from the early 1800s until the First World War.
My grandmother kept a sovereign from 1890 in her jewellery box.
sovereign as a collectible old coin
The museum displayed a shiny sovereign that had been buried underground for over a century.
Collectors pay high prices for a sovereign made during the reign of Queen Victoria.
Gabriel found a gold sovereign while cleaning out his uncle's old wooden desk.
A single sovereign in Victorian times could buy a week's food for a family.
- gold coin
a general term; 'sovereign' is a specific type of gold coin with a fixed value
- pound coin
the modern equivalent in name only — today's pound coins are not made of gold
用法筆記
Mainly encountered in museums, auction catalogues, and historical fiction. Today, the United Kingdom still mints limited-edition gold sovereigns for collectors, but they are not used as everyday money.
常見錯誤
sovereign — adjective
- sovereignpositive
- more sovereigncomparative
- most sovereignsuperlative
1. having complete authority over its own affairs and not controlled by any outside
having complete authority over its own affairs and not controlled by any outside power — used of a country, a government, or a leader who answers to no higher authority.
India became a sovereign nation in 1947 after years of colonial rule.
sovereign nation as an independent country
The king's sovereign power was written into the country's constitution.
Putri studied how sovereign states make agreements with one another at the United Nations.
No outside government can tell a truly sovereign country what laws it must pass.
The president told citizens the nation would remain fully sovereign after the trade agreement.
- independent
a simpler, more common word; 'sovereign' adds a formal legal dimension beyond mere independence
- autonomous
focuses on self-governance; 'autonomous' can apply to regions within a larger country, whereas 'sovereign' implies full nation-level independence
- supreme
emphasizes the highest level of authority rather than freedom from outside control
- dependent
a country that relies on another for protection or governance
- subordinate
under the authority of a higher power
用法筆記
Commonly modifies political nouns: 'sovereign state', 'sovereign nation', 'sovereign government', 'sovereign territory'. Use 'independent' for simpler contexts; 'sovereign' carries a stronger legal and formal tone.
常見錯誤
2. having such a strong healing or solving effect that little else works as well —
having such a strong healing or solving effect that little else works as well — used for medicines, treatments, or methods that are remarkably successful.
The old herbalist claimed his mixture was a sovereign cure for headaches and fever.
sovereign cure: a highly effective medical remedy
Adisa cut his hand on a rusty fence; his aunt called honey a sovereign remedy.
sovereign remedy in a traditional home-medicine scene
The doctor recommended a sovereign treatment that eased the patient's pain within a few hours.
Jabari's grandmother believed that hot ginger tea was a sovereign remedy for winter colds.
Diplomacy is often the sovereign solution when two countries cannot agree on a border dispute.
- highly effective
a less formal, everyday alternative that lacks the old-fashioned literary tone
- infallible
even stronger — suggests the cure never fails, but sounds more technical or religious
- powerful
much broader and more common; lacks the 'ultimate cure' nuance
- ineffective
not producing the desired result
用法筆記
Almost always appears before a noun in the fixed patterns 'sovereign remedy' or 'sovereign cure'. Rare in modern everyday speech; found mostly in older or literary texts. Do not use with 'very' or 'more' — the word already implies the highest degree of effectiveness.