suzerain

su·ze·rain  (szr-n, -z-rn)

n.

1. A nation that controls another nation in international affairs but allows it domestic sovereignty.

2. A feudal lord to whom fealty was due.

---

[French, from Old French suserain : probably sus, up (from Latin srsum, ssum, upward, from *subsvorsum, turned upward : subs-, sub-, from under; see sub- + vorsum, neuter of vorsus, variant of versus, past participle of vertere, to turn; see versus) + souverein, sovereign; see sovereign.]

---

suze·rain adj.

---

suzerain [ˈsuːzəˌreɪn]

n

1. (Government, Politics & Diplomacy)

a.  a state or sovereign exercising some degree of dominion over a dependent state, usually controlling its foreign affairs

b.  (as modifier) a suzerain power

2. (Historical Terms)

a.  a feudal overlord

b.  (as modifier) suzerain lord

[from French, from sus above (from Latin sursum turned upwards, from sub- up + vertere to turn) + -erain, as in souverain sovereign]

Thesaurus

Noun

1.

suzerain - a state exercising a degree of dominion over a dependent state especially in its foreign affairs body politic, country, nation, res publica, commonwealth, state, land - 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"

Translations

suzerain [ˈsuːzəreɪn] N (= state) → estado m protector; (= sovereign) → monarca mf protector(a)