Definition of "sovereign" []

• One that exercises supreme, permanent authority, especially in a nation or other governmental unit, as: (noun)
• A king, queen, or other noble person who serves as chief of state; a ruler or monarch. (noun)
• A national governing council or committee. (noun)
• A nation that governs territory outside its borders. (noun)
• A gold coin formerly used in Great Britain. (noun)

American Heritage(R) Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright (c) 2011 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

• "England could stamp on her sovereign, _Equal to a U.S. half eagle_, and we could stamp on our half eagle, _Equal to a British sovereign_, and thus furnish a currency, which from necessity would in time be adopted by all the world, avoiding vast trouble, loss of time, and litigation, and saving millions of dollars every year."
• "The term sovereign is from the French "sovereign," and that again from the Latin "supernus.""
• "In using the term sovereign, I am not as concerned about the concept of sovereignty and whether the Assad regime deserves to have its sovereignty respected as I am concerned with the fact that the Syrian military still has the capability to resist such an invasion of the country's territory."