sovereign

UK: /ˈsɒvrɪn/

US: /ˈsɑvrɪn, ˈsɑvərɪn, ˈsʌv-/

US: (sov′rin, sov′ər in, suv′-)

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2025

sov•er•eign /ˈsɑvrɪn, ˈsɑvərɪn, ˈsʌv-/   n. [countable]

1. Government a monarch or other supreme ruler.
2. Currency a gold coin of the United Kingdom, equal to one pound sterling:
   Sovereigns went out of circulation after 1914.

adj. [before a noun]

3. Government of or relating to a sovereign or sovereignty;
   royal.
4. having supreme power or authority:
   the sovereign lord of the kingdom.
5. supreme;
   foremost:
   sovereign power.

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2025

sov•er•eign  (sov′rin, sov′ər in, suv′-), n. 

1. Government a monarch;
   a king, queen, or other supreme ruler.
2. Government a person who has sovereign power or authority.
3. Government a group or body of persons or a state having sovereign authority.
4. Currency a gold coin of the United Kingdom, equal to one pound sterling: went out of circulation after 1914.

adj. 

5. Government belonging to or characteristic of a sovereign or sovereignty;
   royal.
6. having supreme rank, power, or authority.
7. supreme;
   preeminent;
   indisputable:
   a sovereign right.
8. greatest in degree;
   utmost or extreme.
9. being above all others in character, importance, excellence, etc.
10. efficacious;
    potent:
    a sovereign remedy.

• Vulgar Latin *superānus, equivalent. to Latin super- super- + -ānus -an
• Old French soverain
• Middle English soverain (alteration by influence of reign) 1250–1300

sov′er•eign•ly, adv. 
Synonyms

• 1. emperor, empress, potentate.
• 3. government.
• 5. regal, majestic, imperial, princely, monarchical, kingly, queenly.
• 7. chief, paramount, principal, predominant.
• 10. effective, effectual.

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

sovereign / ˈsɒvrɪn/ noun

1. a person exercising supreme authority, esp a monarch
2. a former British gold coin worth one pound sterling

adjective

1. supreme in rank or authority: a sovereign lord
2. excellent or outstanding: a sovereign remedy
3. of, relating to, or characteristic of a sovereign
4. independent of outside authority: a sovereign state

Etymology: 13th Century: from Old French soverain, from Vulgar Latin superānus (unattested), from Latin super above; also influenced by reign

ˈsovereignly adverb