Emily Dickinson Lexicon

SOV-ER-EIGN, a. [suv'eran. We retain this barbarous orthography from the Norman souvereign, which doubtless was adopted through a mistake of its origin. The true spelling would be suveran, from the L. supernus, superus; Fr. souverain; It. sovrano; Sp. and Port. soberano. See Suveran.]

1. Supreme in power; possessing supreme dominion; as, a sovereign prince. God is the sovereign ruler of the universe.
2. Supreme; superior to all others; chief. God is the sovereign good of all who love and obey him.
3. Supremely efficacious; superior to all others; predominant; effectual; as, a sovereign remedy.
4. Supreme; pertaining to the first magistrate of a nation; as, sovereign authority.