Commonwealth
[kom-uh n-welth] /ˈkɒm ənˌwɛlθ/
noun
1.
(initial capital letter) a group of sovereign states and their dependencies associated by their own choice and linked with common objectives and interests:
the British Commonwealth.
2.
the Commonwealth, .
3.
(initial capital letter) a federation of states:
the Commonwealth of Australia.
4.
(initial capital letter) a self-governing territory associated with the U.S.: official designation of Puerto Rico.
5.
(initial capital letter) English History. the English government from the abolition of the monarchy in 1649 until the establishment of the Protectorate in 1653, sometimes extended to include the restoration of Charles II in 1660.
6.
(initial capital letter) the official designation (rather than “State”) of four states of the U.S.: Kentucky, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, and Virginia.
7.
any group of persons united by some common interest.
8.
the whole body of people of a nation or state; the body politic.
9.
a state in which the supreme power is held by the people; a republican or democratic state.
10.
Obsolete. the public welfare.
noun
1.
a voluntary association of independent nations and dependent territories linked by historical ties (as parts of the former British Empire) and cooperating on matters of mutual concern, especially regarding economics and trade.
/ˈkɒmənˌwɛlθ/
noun
1.
the people of a state or nation viewed politically; body politic
2.
a state or nation in which the people possess sovereignty; republic
3.
the body politic organized for the general good
4.
a group of persons united by some common interest
5.
(obsolete) the general good; public welfare
/ˈkɒmənˌwɛlθ/
noun the Commonwealth
1.
an association of sovereign states, almost all of which were at some time dependencies of the UK. All member states recognize the reigning British sovereign as Head of the Commonwealth Official name the Commonwealth of Nations
2.
3.
the official designation of Australia, four states of the US (Kentucky, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, and Virginia), and Puerto Rico
n.
late 15c., “public welfare, general good,” from common (adj.) + wealth (n.); meaning “the state” is attested from 1510s; applied specifically to the government of England in the period 1649-1660.
A government established in Britain and Ireland in 1649, after the execution of King Charles I. It was in the form of a republic, under the leadership of the parliament. Oliver Cromwell soon assumed the supreme power in the Commonwealth and was given the title Lord Protector. After Cromwell’s death in 1658, the Commonwealth quickly lost power, and the Restoration of the monarchy followed in 1660.
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noun 1. (def 5).
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noun 1. an alliance of former Soviet republics formed in December 1991, including: Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Moldova, Russian Federation, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Ukraine, and Uzbekistan. Abbreviation: C.I.S. noun 1. a loose organization of former Soviet republics, excluding the Baltic States, formed in 1991 CIS
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