soberanía

sovereignty

noun soh-beh-rah-NEE-ah Less Common

Usage Note

Soberanía carries strong political weight, referring to a state's supreme authority over its territory. The adjective soberano can also mean 'supreme' in an emphatic, non-political sense (un soberano disparate = 'a complete nonsense'). Soberanía alimentaria ('food sovereignty') is a current political term in Latin American discourse.

Examples

"El país defiende su soberanía territorial."

Natural Translation

The country defends its territorial sovereignty.

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