Souverains

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A group of individuals or entities exercising supreme authority or power in a particular domain
2. Leaders or rulers who hold the highest position in governance, often in a monarchy or state
3. Those possessing sovereignty, typically recognized as having jurisdiction and control over a territory or people

Etymology: "Souverains" is simply the plural of "souverain", the French noun meaning a sovereign, someone who holds supreme authority over a state or people. Its English counterpart is "sovereign", a doublet: the two words descend from the same source but reached their present forms by different routes, one through French and the other directly into English. The French word "souverain" was built on the Latin "super", meaning "above", giving the sense of one who stands over others. Over centuries it came to describe the highest ruler, and the same logic that placed a king above his subjects also gave the word its later meaning of a self-governing state. English took the word as "sovereign", where it stayed close to its royal and judicial roots.