government free from external control
"The small nation fiercely defended its sovereignty against any attempts by foreign powers to intervene in its internal affairs."
royal authority; the dominion of a monarch
"The king's sovereignty over his kingdom was absolute, leaving no room for challenge from his nobles."
the authority of a state to govern another state
"The treaty was signed to restore full sovereignty over the territory, ensuring no foreign power could intervene in its internal affairs."
Of a polity: the state of making laws and controlling resources without the coercion of other nations.
"The newly independent nation proudly asserted its sovereignty by drafting its own constitution and managing its natural reserves free from foreign interference."
In plain English: Sovereignty is when a country has complete power to make its own rules without anyone else telling it what to do.
"The country fiercely defended its sovereignty against foreign interference."
Usage: Sovereignty refers to a nation's complete authority over its own territory, population, and legal systems free from external interference. It is often contrasted with concepts like autonomy or independence when discussing levels of self-governance within international relations.
The word sovereignty comes from the Old French term soveraineté, which combined the root for "supreme" with a suffix meaning "state" or "quality." It entered English in the Late Middle Ages to describe supreme power or authority.