commonwealth
/'kɔmənwelθ/
Học thuậtThân thiện
Definition
- Noun:
- A political system where supreme power is held by the people through elected representatives: A form of government based on popular sovereignty and representation.
- An association of sovereign states united by common interests and allegiance to a central authority: A voluntary grouping of independent nations, often sharing historical ties.
- A politically organized community under one government; a state or nation: Refers to the body politic or the whole people of a nation.
- The official title of certain U.S. states and territories: Used in the formal names of specific political entities.
Examples of Usage
- Noun:
- The ancient republic was founded as a commonwealth. (The ancient state was established as a political system governed by its citizens.)
- Many former British colonies are now members of the Commonwealth. (Many independent nations that were once British colonies are part of this voluntary association.)
- The welfare of the commonwealth is the government's primary duty. (The well-being of the entire nation is the government's main responsibility.)
- Kentucky is a commonwealth, not just a state. (Kentucky uses this specific term in its official title.)
Advanced Usage
- "The Commonwealth" (capitalized): Specifically refers to the Commonwealth of Nations, a political association of member states.
- The Commonwealth Games are a major international sporting event.
- "Body of the commonwealth": A formal or literary way to refer to the collective citizenry or the state itself.
- Laws are made for the good of the body of the commonwealth.
Variants and Related Words
- Commonweal (noun, archaic): The public good or welfare; synonymous with an older sense of "commonwealth."
- He worked for the commonweal of all citizens.
Synonyms
- Republic: A state in which supreme power is held by the people and their elected representatives.
- Federation: A group of states with a central government but independence in internal affairs.
- Nation: A large body of people united by common descent, history, culture, or language, inhabiting a particular state or territory.
- State: A nation or territory considered as an organized political community under one government.
Related Phrases
- Commonwealth citizen: A legal term often used within the Commonwealth of Nations to denote a citizen of a member country.
- As a Commonwealth citizen, she had certain residency rights.
Related Idioms
- For the commonwealth: For the public good or benefit of all.
- The policy was enacted for the commonwealth, not for private interests.
Noun
- a political system in which the supreme power lies in a body of citizens who can elect people to represent them
- a world organization of autonomous states that are united in allegiance to a central power but are not subordinate to it or to one another
- a politically organized body of people under a single government
- the state has elected a new president
- African nations
- students who had come to the nation's capitol
- the country's largest manufacturer
- an industrialized land
- the official name of some states in the United States (Massachusetts and Pennsylvania and Virginia and Kentucky) and associated territories (Puerto Rico)