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Webster 1913 Edition

Sovereign

Sov′er-eign

(? or ?; 277)
,
Adj.
[OE.
soverain
,
sovereyn
, OF.
soverain
,
suvrain
, F.
souverain
, LL.
superanus
, fr. L.
superus
that is above, upper, higher, fr.
super
above. See
Over
,
Super
, and cf.
Soprano
. The modern spelling is due to a supposed connection with
reign
.]
1.
Supreme or highest in power; superior to all others; chief;
as, our
sovereign
prince
.
2.
Independent of, and unlimited by, any other; possessing, or entitled to, original authority or jurisdiction;
as, a
sovereign
state; a
sovereign
discretion
.
3.
Princely; royal.
“Most sovereign name.”
Shak.
At Babylon was his
sovereign
see.
Chaucer.
4.
Predominant; greatest; utmost; paramount.
We acknowledge him [God] our
sovereign
good.
Hooker.
5.
Efficacious in the highest degree; effectual; controlling;
as, a
sovereign
remedy
.
Dryden.
Such a
sovereign
influence has this passion upon the regulation of the lives and actions of men.
South.
Sovereign state
,
a state which administers its own government, and is not dependent upon, or subject to, another power.

Sov′er-eign

(? or ?; 277)
,
Noun.
1.
The person, body, or state in which independent and supreme authority is vested; especially, in a monarchy, a king, queen, or emperor.
No question is to be made but that the bed of the Mississippi belongs to the
sovereign
, that is, to the nation.
Jefferson.
2.
A gold coin of Great Britain, on which an effigy of the head of the reigning king or queen is stamped, valued at one pound sterling, or about $4.86.
3.
(Zool.)
Any butterfly of the tribe
Nymphalidi
, or genus
Basilarchia
, as the ursula and the viceroy.
Syn. – King; prince; monarch; potentate; emperor.

Webster 1828 Edition

Sovereign

SOVEREIGN

,
Adj.
suv'eran. [We retain this babarous orthography from the Norman sovereign. The true spelling would be suveran from the L. supernes, superus.]
1.
Supreme in power; possessing supreme dominion; as a sovereign ruler of the universe.
2.
Supreme; superior to all others; chief. God is the sovereign good of all who love and obey him.
3.
Supremely efficacious; superior to all others; predominant; effectual; as a sovereign remedy.
4.
Supreme; pertaining to the first magistrate of a nation; as sovereign authority.

SOVEREIGN

,
Noun.
suv'eran.
1.
A supreme lord or ruler; one who possesses the highest authority without control. Some earthly princes, kings and emperors are sovereigns in their dominions.
2.
A supreme magistrate; a king.
3.
A gold coin of England, value 20s or $4.44

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