soberano

sovereign

adjective soh-beh-RAH-noh Rare

Origin: From Late Latin superanus (supreme, above all).

Also means

supreme

Usage Note

Soberano as an adjective means supreme or unrestricted (poder soberano), and as a noun (el soberano) it refers to a monarch. The abstract noun soberanía (sovereignty) is frequently encountered in political discourse. A colloquial intensifying use appears in expressions like una soberana tontería (a colossal piece of nonsense), which is a distinctly emphatic register.

Examples

"El estado soberano defiende su independencia."

Natural Translation

The sovereign state defends its independence.

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