Vocabulary Builder — Essay & Answer Writing
Sovereignty
noun
/ SOV-rin-tee /
Medium
Meaning
The supreme authority or power of a state over its territory; the right to govern without external interference; the property of having independent political power
Origin / Etymology
Old French souverain (ruler) from Latin superanus (supreme)
Synonyms
Supremacy
Independence
Self-determination
Autonomy
Antonyms
Subjugation
Dependency
Colonialism
Example Sentence
"India jealously guards its sovereignty in defence procurement, increasingly insisting on technology transfer rather than accepting finished platforms from foreign vendors."
🎯 UPSC Usage
Foundational concept for GS2 (polity, IR). Dimensions to know: (1) External sovereignty (independence from other states), (2) Internal sovereignty (supremacy within territory), (3) Popular sovereignty (derived from the people — Preamble's 'We the People'), (4) Parliamentary sovereignty vs constitutional supremacy (India follows constitutional supremacy — no institution is above the Constitution). Also: 'data sovereignty', 'digital sovereignty' in GS3.
Relevant Subjects