sovereignty
/ˈsɒvrənti/ (bre, ipa) · /ˈsɑːvrənti/ (ame, ipa) · /ˈsä-v(ə-)rən-tē -vərn-tē also ˈsə-/ (ame, mw)
sovereignty — noun
1. the highest political power held by a country or state, which allows it to gover
the highest political power held by a country or state, which allows it to govern itself and make its own laws and decisions without being controlled by other countries
The two countries agreed to respect each other's national sovereignty under the new treaty.
collocation: national sovereignty / respect sovereignty
Andrés believes that a nation's sovereignty should never be traded away for economic benefits.
sovereignty + should never be traded — value judgment pattern
After decades of colonial rule, the island nation declared its full sovereignty in 1972.
Lien wrote a paper discussing how international trade agreements can limit a country's sovereignty.
The constitution was rewritten to guarantee the sovereignty of the people over their government.
- authority
broader term; used for the right to make decisions in any context (parental, managerial, governmental), not limited to nations
- autonomy
focuses on the freedom to self-govern without outside control; can apply to regions, institutions, or individuals, not just states
- independence
emphasizes freedom from external control; 'independence' is a precondition of sovereignty, but sovereignty adds the dimension of having supreme authority over a territory
- subjugation
the state of being controlled by an external power, the opposite of self-government
- dependency
a territory that depends on another country and lacks full control over its own affairs
文法句型
sovereignty of [country/territory]
sovereignty over [territory]
用法筆記
Typically used in political and legal contexts. The phrase 'full sovereignty' emphasizes complete independence and self-rule. When discussing disputed territory, the pattern 'sovereignty over [place]' is common: 'sovereignty over the islands'.