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Sovereign vs Federal - What's the difference?

sovereign | federal |

As adjectives the difference between sovereign and federal

is that sovereign is exercising power of rule while federal is pertaining to a league or treaty; derived from an agreement or covenant between parties, especially between nations.

As nouns the difference between sovereign and federal

is that sovereign is a monarch; the ruler of a country while federal is a law-enforcement official of the FBI; short for federal agent.

sovereign

English

(wikipedia sovereign)

Adjective

(en adjective)
  • Exercising power of rule.
    • sovereign nation
  • Exceptional in quality.
  • Extremely potent or effective (of a medicine, remedy etc.).
  • * 1590 , (Edmund Spenser), (The Faerie Queene) , III.v:
    • The soueraigne weede betwixt two marbles plaine / She pownded small, and did in peeces bruze, / And then atweene her lilly handes twaine, / Into his wound the iuyce thereof did scruze
  • * (rfdate) Dryden
    • a sovereign remedy
  • * (rfdate) South
    • Such a sovereign influence has this passion upon the regulation of the lives and actions of men.
  • Having supreme, ultimate power.
  • Princely; royal.
  • * (rfdate) Shakespeare
    • most sovereign name
  • Predominant; greatest; utmost; paramount.
  • * (rfdate) Hooker
    • We acknowledge him [God] our sovereign good.

    Derived terms

    * sovereignly

    Synonyms

    * autonomous * supreme

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • A monarch; the ruler of a country.
  • * Jefferson
    • No question is to be made but that the bed of the Mississippi belongs to the sovereign , that is, to the nation.
  • One who is not a subject to a ruler or nation.
  • A gold coin of the United Kingdom, with a nominal value of one pound sterling but in practice used as a bullion coin.
  • A very large champagne bottle with the capacity of about 25 liters, equivalent to 33? standard bottles.
  • Any butterfly of the tribe , as the (ursula) and the viceroy.

    • Hyponyms

    * (monarch) king, queen

    Derived terms

    * sovereignty

    See also

    * half sovereign/half-sovereign English words not following the I before E except after C rule

    federal

    English

    Alternative forms

    * (obsolete)

    Adjective

    (-)
  • Pertaining to a league or treaty; derived from an agreement or covenant between parties, especially between nations.
  • * Grew
    • The Romans compelled them, contrary to all federal right, to part with Sardinia.
  • Pertaining to the national government level, as opposed to state, provincial, county, city, or town.

    • Derived terms

    * quasifederal

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • (US) A law-enforcement official of the FBI; short for federal agent.

    • Synonyms

    * (noun)

    Anagrams

    * ----