noun
commonwealth
KO-muhn-wehlth
noun
1
A self-governing political community, especially one organized for the general good of its members.
"The document laid out plans for a new commonwealth governed by elected representatives."
name
1
The Commonwealth of Nations, a voluntary association of countries, most of them former territories of the British Empire.
"Australia and Canada are both members of the Commonwealth."
How to Use Commonwealth
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishA political community organized for everyone's benefit, or (capitalized) the international group of nations linked to the former British Empire.
UK vs US
In the US, several states — including Kentucky, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, and Virginia — officially call themselves "commonwealths" rather than "states," though this makes no practical legal difference.
Word Forms
commonwealths plural
Study it as flashcards or scroll it in Flow — saved to your collection.
Test yourself on “commonwealth”
A quick quiz — meaning, synonyms & usage
→
Fill the Gap
Can you complete this real example?
The document laid out plans for a new _____ governed by elected representatives.
Etymology
From common + wealth, originally meaning "the general well-being of the public" before it came to describe a self-governing state.