sovereignism means A doctrine which supports acquiring or preserving the political independence of a nation, region or group, from external or higher-level entities (e.g. federalism or supranational unions like the UN) or from internal (e.g. ethnic or sexual minority) groups it considers subversive. It carries an Arena rating of 1263, earned across 6 head-to-head judged battles.
Among words judged in Lexicurio's Arena, sovereignism ranks #2,915 of 17,128 for Most Ponderous Words, #4,198 of 17,131 for Scariest Words, #5,280 of 17,138 for Most Incisive Words, #8,996 of 17,127 for Words That Escaped Their Books.
Why “sovereignism” is a great word
A political doctrine advocating for the acquisition or preservation of a nation’s or region’s political independence from external or higher-level authorities. From sovereign (from the Old French 'soverain', ultimately from the Latin 'superānus', meaning 'chief, principal') + -ism (a suffix forming nouns of action or of a system or doctrine). Unlike nationalism, which emphasizes a unifying cultural identity and often an expansive agenda, or isolationism, a policy of withdrawal and non-participation, sovereignism is specifically the defense of political autonomy against perceived encroachment, even while engaging with the world. It is the cold weight of a border-control stamp, the precise redaction of an invasive treaty clause, and the brittle crackle of a flag hoisted in defiance—the quiet, stubborn assertion of a hearth against the draft of a vast, open door.
Etymology
From sovereign + -ism.
noun
- A doctrine which supports acquiring or preserving the political independence of a nation, region or group, from external or higher-level entities (e.g. federalism or supranational unions like the UN) or from internal (e.g. ethnic or sexual minority) groups it considers subversive.
- The defence of the sovereignty of individual European countries in the face of broader European or European Union integration.
Definitions & examples from Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 3.0).
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